Soulsight
by Theresalwaysthatone
Summary: The original Soulsight, a story of a dragon with the ability to see souls. *Note:* A rewritten form is currently in progress. Read that one instead, and save yourself from my cringe :)
1. Chapter 1 (09-23 16:36:58)

SURPRISE!!

I'M AN ACTIVE USER!!!

HERE'S WHAT I SPENT 13 HOURS ALONE IN MY ROOM WORKING ON!

Anyways, yeah... SURPRISE

The narrator you hear in this chapter (and this chapter only (and the last chapter (totallynotaspoiler) ) ) isn't me. Just to get the confusion out of the way. It's... a secret character.

Please read through this, enjoy it, and notify me of any spelling/grammar errors that sneaked past my nose.

I don't really know what perspective this is in, but it's only for the first chapter. Anyways, have fun!

My plans word-wise is this: 1.5k words on the first chapter, 2k on the rest, and 2.5 to 3k on special/important chapters. Don't even ask about the last chapter...

Xerious: Ex-air-ious

CHAPTER ONE

There is no prologue in this story, unless you count the first chapter as a prologue (which now that I think about it it is. There, I said it. I just wanted to call it a chapter, that's all). There is no background to the main character before this. No before. No past. Why? Because before the events in the chapter happened, he never existed. He wasn't born yet. You can't have a backstory if it's the beginning.

It all started with a sound. Well, actually it started with his parents meeting each other. Then a bunch of other things. Butneveryoumindaboutthat. This is about his story, not theirs. And here's his. Who am I and why am I telling you this? If you read on, you'll find out who I am. Why am I telling this story? Some might say because it's a historical piece of Pyrrhia's history. I say because I need to tell you the real story. If you paid attention in history, then you will remember The Legend of Darkstalker. Most Nightwings can only see the future. Rumor has it that he could see all three planes of time; the past, present, and future. Me? I was cursed to only see the first plane. It does make history easier. And storytelling more accurate. So without further ado, here it is. Don't just enjoy it, remember it, for this happened to me. This is a true story. That's all I have to say.

 **Tap tap**

"Sweetie, it's hatching!"

"Oh three moons... it is!"

The thing that was hatching had no clue of what or who was out there, but it knew someone was waiting for it. Willing it on. A couple somethings in fact. He could feel their souls. Happy. Encouraging. Bright. The thing clawed again at the walls blocking him from that world he could feel. He wanted to get out. He needed to get out. With a burst of strength, the thing rammed it's head into the wall. **Crack**. Light. Blinding light. It hurt his eyes. He had eyes? Well that was a discovery for him. His retinas adjusted, and the whiteout faded away. Two sets of worried and excited eyes stared down at him. He let out a squawk. He was free. He looked up at the tall figures with awe. They were massive. The world was massive. Everything was massive! He was tiny. A ray of dismay and confusion shot into his small, undeveloped brain.

"Honey?..."

"Oh..." A short pause. "Why is... it... it looks... not right."

"Squeak!" He went.

"I don't understand. What happened? Where did we go wrong?" A pause. "Where did we go wrong? I was with the egg almost the entire time, and when I wasn't, you were."

A flashback. Jumbled, confusing memories that poured into the thing's mind; Sunny day. Boiling heat. Warm scales. Egg. Looked away. Egg gone. Fear. Searching. Found egg on flat rock. Rock burned. Egg hot. Almost boiling. End flashback.

He pawed his head as the feelings rushed into his head. Coincidentally, if not for the fact that it was exactly where the memories were coming from, the tall male being was experiencing the same flashback. It eventually faded away and he stopped rubbing his head.

"Sightviewer, do you think it'll make it?"

"Of course he will. He's just a different color." Sightviewer responded.

"There's a difference between Icewing white and colorless white. He has no color. How will they take to him... him? It's a he?"

"Yes Bluebird, it's a he. And don't worry. They'll accept him..."

Bluebird looked doubtful. "Ok... then what shall we name him?"

The hatchling closed his eyes. Amongst the darkness, the outline of the two beings appeared, with a glowing golden object in each of their chests appearing. He opened his eyes. Fitting the outline he just saw perfectly, were the two tall things. Curiosity aroused.

"What about... Xerious?" Sightviewer said. "It's weird, just like him, but it feels powerful." Bluebird thought about it. The name rolled off the tongue pleasantly, and it did indeed feel strong. "I have no objections. It feels right. Like it belongs."

 _Click_. The name stuck itself into Xerious's mind. Like the perfect puzzle piece. Xerious... Xerious. Xerious! The satisfaction he felt off his parents, combined with the power of that word, made him want to burst. He wanted to let it out some way. And he did. Although Xerious had no clue how he did. With a dragonet version of a roar, he shot out a blast of fire. The warm feeling in his stomach wormed into his throat, then tickled it's way out of his mouth, instantly becoming white-hot. The fire blast struck a tree with considerable force, then the entire tree burst into flames. "Hrrrr?" He looked up.

"Did you see that?"

"Fire already? And not just any, it was blinding. Two minutes old, and already he's torching entire trees!" Bluebird looked amazed and intrigued. But Xerious could feel the hiccup of fear in his father's being. It leaked out into Xerious, and he gave a small whimper.

"He's stronger than I ever was." Sightviewer remarked. She looked down upon her dragonet. "He certainly is special." She bent down and looked at Xerious. "Don't worry. Mommy's here. And there's daddy. Daddy's strong. Daddy's big."

Bluebird muttered something under his breath, too quiet for them to hear.

"But," Sightviewer started softly, "Daddy can be fun. And so can mommy. You have nothing to worry about little one."

Xerious raised his ears and stared at her, no longer scared. 'Mommy' felt calm, so he felt calm as well. On the other hand, 'Daddy' was proud and strong, making Xerious fear nothing.

Little did his parents know, they were shaping his personality directly. Every emotion flowed into his mind. Every feeling poured into his thoughts. Xerious- despite his misfortune as an egg, or because of- was blessed with powers. The very first soul-seer of all time. Let me elaborate, for after this I won't speak. Next chapter I will tell this story from his perspective. Xerious is the first, and the only, soul-seer in history. He can feel the feelings of others. He can also, if he closes his eyes, see the outline of anyone he saw. Think of it as line art. I pondered a long time as to why, and decided the reason. He can see people's souls, as a light in their body. But their souls are their bodies. Therefore he can see both. But, he can only see these things on people he's seen and only when his eyes are shut. My best guess is because he has to concentrate. But that's just a guess. And if you didn't catch on before (it's not your fault, I'm still extremely new to storytelling), Xerious's egg quite literally almost got boiled. The heat affected his growth rather considerably, and as a result lost the color in his scales and gained strength in fire. Of course, being a dragonet, he knew nothing of the sort. He had no idea how different his life was. He had no idea how different his world was about to become. Meanwhile though, let's get back to the happy family.

"You know, sometimes I used to wonder whether it was a good idea for us to be together," Sightviewer confessed to Bluebird. "you being rainwing and all. Seeing Xerious has convinced me that all my worries were for nothing. I'm glad we met, Bluebird."

Bluebird softened from his normal, fierce, look and looked at Sightviewer. "Me too... I love you, my beautiful Wing of Night."

"Chrrr!" Xerious chirped, announcing his agreement.

The couple laughed together. Eventually Xerious told them in his special way that he was hungry, special way being a nip on his mother's paw. After giving Xerious a Kipletec -a red, bumpy fruit- for him to play with and eat, Sightviewer laid down with a sigh of contentment. Bluebird rested beside her, talking to her too softly for Xerious to hear. Curious as to what it was, Xerious prodded at the round fruit. It rolled from his paws and he followed it, growling softly. He laid down, fruit between his front legs like a cat with yarn. Instinct told him that he was supposed to do something with this weird sphere. Xerious's mind told him it might not be a good idea. His stomach growled. Stomach and instinct together won over, and he took a bite, the stubs of his dragonet teeth sinking in easily. His mother picked well. The fruit was soft enough for him to eat it, but at the same time hard enough for him to have to learn to chew. It was also surprising sweet. Just what a young dragonet would want to eat. Finding the item to be delicious, Xerious continued eating until there was nothing left. With a smoky burp, he finished. He was happy. He yawned loudly. Breaking from an egg is hard work, and eating a big meal didn't help. Big for him at least. His body telling him he was tired, he trotted over to his parents and curled up right between them. Xerious was happy. He closed his eyes, hearing his parent's gentle whispers, and let calm, content sleep fall over his small body.

"Goodnight little one" He heard his mother whisper to him.


	2. Chapter 2

**With 2081 words, you better enjoy it!** **If you spot any bad grammar or such, please notify me! Enjoy!**

"Boo!"

"Ahh!"

Xerious laughed as he heard his friend shout out. "Oh man, I got you good! Admit it!"

With a shaky voice, his embarrassed friend denied it with a "No! I was just surprised! I wasn't scared!"

"Mhm. Right. And pigs fly. You were scared."

"No I wasn't!

The hundred year anniversary of the end of the Twenty Year War was, surprisingly enough, a holiday. A considerably long one. A whole week to be exact. And everyone was using every last minute of it. Xerious was no exception. It's not often that everyone gets to be off work and school. Xerious's hatching day just so happened to be on this holiday. Two days from now he'll be six, only a year from dragon-hood. His friend's hatching day is three days after his. So Xerious and Snake's parents decided to do a joint hatchday party. Both the friends were excited. It's not everyday you turn six. Only once in your entire lifetime to be exact. In three days the party would begin, and the two were ecstatic. Dragons grew fast, considerably more than humans. Xerious was in Advance Biology, and one thing he had to study was scavengers. In the many years since the revolutionary discovery that scavengers were intelligent, they gave them a more suitable name. They called them humans based off their new classification system, although "scavenger" was still appropriate and kept things simple for older ones who continued to use that name. Xerious could remember that from his later lessons. Biology was strenuous, and in his opinion stupid. Snake on the other hand adored biology lessons to a point which made Xerious question a lot.

"While it's on my mind, why do you love biology so much?" He questioned his friend.

"Where did that come from?" Snake replied with a question of his own.

"Nowhere in particular, you know how the mind is. But it's weird. I hate biology. It's so boring and full of useless facts that we have to memorize. How can you just adore it?"

"First off, the memorizing part should just apply to Chemistry and Physics, that class sucks. Second, how can you not love biology? It's so amazing! Life is amazing! Take this tree for instance!" He said excitedly, walking over to the giant organism. "Did you know that by counting the amount of branches on this tree, the Everbloom Rosewood, you can tell exactly how many years this tree lived for? Or that the Scaly Pincerfish has precisely 54 scales when it hatches and 73 when it's a full adult, without exception? Oh, here's an interesting one; did you know that not one dragon in the entire _world_ has the same paw pattern as you? Everyone's pattern is unique."

Xerious closed his eyes. _Yep, just as I thought, excited, with a hint of annoyance and something I don't recognize. Defence? Most likely. I don't see that often._ He opened them again and looked at Snake. "It doesn't make sense. You grew up in the desert, which is devoid of life. How are you so fascinated with stuff like that?"

"It's because of that that…" Snake quickly checked his sentence before he rephrased it. "The reason I like biology is the exact reason why you are confused about how I like it. Because it's life. I don't see that often in the desert. When I moved here, I fell in love with all the life that was here. There's no other way of putting it."

Ever since Xerious found out he was a Soul-seer, life just seemed so different. He was almost five, a moon from his fifth hatch-day, when he put two and two together… and got more than just four. Souls were an interesting thing, he found out, and different people had different feeling souls. "Like mindreading, but with emotions." Xerious had told his parents upon his discovery. On that same day, his parents unveiled the incident of his birth. "There's a difference between Icewing white and colorless white. He has no color." Those were the exact words in which his father Bluebird had said minutes after he hatched. Xerious had no idea how he remembered those words, but he did. And he understood completely. There was no color on his scales. The white of a paper. The color of blindness. A dragon's scales are important in society. Without a literal shine in your step, your life could be ruined forever. But Xerious had an advantage. By seeing others souls, he could tell how they feel, and what to avoid. After countless different dragons Xerious concluded that soul-seeing is different to seeing emotions in only two ways; the ability to see the outline of the being you saw, and the ability to see one's evil. Your soul is your essence, therefore whenever you feel happy for example, your soul reflects that feeling. And they say the body is the soul, which is entirely true. Therefore, Xerious can see both feelings and one's being. _I do have certain impossibilities… it's not without limits._ He thought to himself. And it was true. My "sight" is the weakest thing about my… _powers? "Powers" sounds weird. But I guess it is._

To Snake he said, "Very poetic of you." Xerious thought for a bit before continuing. "I can see why you like life so much, but I don't understand why you like the class so much. I can respect your opinion, but there's a difference between biology and general life."

"Which is?..."

"Well… biology is about different kinds of life and the rules of life. General life is about all life. You know, the stuff that's alive and why it's alive. You know?" Xerious sighed. _Powers… I still can't believe it._ Seeing other's thoughts was easy. Seeing one's self… that was a different matter altogether. No matter how far away someone was from him, as long as he could actually see them, it was easy to pick them out. But seeing through physical objects seemed to exponentially decrease his ability to see them. As a general rule of thumb, thirty feet was the max he could view through objects. The more thick an object the less he could view. For example, a five foot thick steel vault door would limit his view only to four feet past the door. Therefore, someone standing five feet away from the door would be unnoticeable. It was a very crude method of viewing the world, but he had it better than everyone else. He was the only person who could see people's being as well as their physical view. Xerious did notice that his sight was weaker when he was younger, so he assumed that as he got older his "sight" got better.

"Xerious!"

"Hmm? What?"

"Dude, you were completely out of it. Did you hear what I said?"

"Uh…… you said something?"

"Bloody hell… yes, I said something. You know, you have been acting strange lately. Are you ok? Is there something I need to know? Snake inquired, annoyed and worried.

"N-no… everything is fine." If only it was… Xerious wished.

His best friend responded with a raised eyecrest and a burning curiosity of what was going on. "So, what now?" Was all Snake said to it.

Xerious flipped through ideas in his mind, searching for the right one "I know, how about we go to the cliff? You know, the one that falls right to the ocean?"

"I have no objections. Shall we? Go there I mean." Snake asked.

"Of course. What else would you mean?" Xerious questioned curiously, standing up. Snake stood up and the both started to walk to the ravine.

"Nothing… I… I don't know what I meant…"

If you went far enough into the forest, you'd go out the other side. Naturally. And right out the south end of the rainforest was the ocean. The entire south side of Pyrrhia ended in cliffside. Which was cool. And having wings helped the fear of heights drastically. It caught the eyes of many a dragon, and one even made a poem inspired from the beauty of the cliffs.

"Wow… it _is_ beautiful…" Snake breathed. He never been to the cliffs at this specific time of day; dusk. Sure, the sun set to the left of them, but that only added to the sight. The trees, the rocks, the waves, and themselves all casted a shadow beside them, marking their existence in the world.

"You know, I've never actually been here with anyone else. The eight times I've been here, I've been here alone." Xerious stated thoughtfully.

There was a pause between conversation. Then Snake said out loud, "In a few days we'll be six. Crazy to think of that. In just over a year we'll be fully-fletched dragons, ready to walk in society by ourselves." Yet another pause, shorter this time, before Snake continued. "What do you plan on doing when you grow up?"

 _When you grow up… when you grow up… grow up…grow up... "Grow up already, you can't see me with your eyes closed!" "When you grow up, just remember that you're different. Not everyone will accept you." "Grow up?! If he even grows up. He won't survive. He's… he's wrong. He'll never be as good as you want to be. If you're lucky, he'll never be anything at all." Never be as good as you want to be… he'll never be anything at all… never be anything… as good as dirt… as wanted as a disease… I...I…I... I WILL BE BETTER THAN ALL OF YOU!... I WILL SHOW THE WORLD THAT XERIOUS CAN BEAT ANYONE! I WILL WIN AGAINST EVERYTHING ANYONE THROWS AT ME! I W!11 13E ThE b3sT e...vv...esadcfr…_ All coherent thought left him. Then... red. Just red. For a brief moment the world was blood-red. He could barely stop himself from doing the unfathomable the unthinkable… but somehow he did. Somehow he stopped himself. Deep breaths. He looked down upon his own chest. A dim orange light flickered within him. _Wha?... why is it so dull?... wh……_

"XERIOUS!" A yell. He opened his eyes. He was collapsed on the ground, Snake shaking him awake.

"Hmmm?..." Xerious got up, standing with a somewhat sway.

"Jeez man, you had me scared. You seriously need to tell me what's going on." Snake looked rather scared. And Xerious couldn't blame him. He could barely think himself.

"What happened? I… I… can't remember what happened." Xerious stuttered, with a worried look in his face.

"You blacked out. I think. I was talking to you… and… and then you kinda stood there for a bit… and then you passed out. Dude, you really need to tell me what's happening. Are you sick? Did something happen to you?" Snake questioned.

"Well… kind of?..."

"Kind of? What's that mean. You're supposed to give me a yes or no answer, and then as a bonus elaborate upon your yes or no answer."

"Ehh… I feel like there can be an exception for this one. Like, yes and no? A mix of both? Yesno?" Xerious nervously offered.

"No. It doesn't work like that."

"It doesn't? It should."

"Well it doesn't. Get used to it." Snake said firmly. "Now for crying out loud, please tell me what's happening."

Xerious hesitated. "..." He thought, then, "Do you believe in souls?"

"How is this on subject?" He protested.

"Trust me, it is."

"Well… then I'll say no, I don't believe in souls. I believe that you can have 'good' or 'bad' thoughts, but I don't think you have a soul." Snake said thoughtfully.

"Well, here's the thing… they _do_ exist. I know they do." Xerious started. "And here's how I know…" He took a deep breath, sighed, and continued. "Snake… there's something I need to tell you. You know why I'm pure white?"

"No?..."

"When I was just an egg, my egg rolled away and got too hot. All color was burned off my scales. But another thing happened, something that would change my life forever."

"Yes…"

"Snake, I'm a Sou-" He was interrupted.

"Hello there!" A new voice, quite loud, sounded out behind them.

"OHMYTHREEMOONS" Snake shouted out, almost jumping from surprise. They both turned over to look at the source of the voice.

And there in the dimming light, on the outskirts of the rainforest, stood a dragon with black scales and green eyes, and a light teardrop-shaped scale beside each eye. A pure nightwing.

 **Ooh, who's that? A new character? A stronger plot? Or maybe just an excuse to add in my female oc?** **Who knows?**


	3. Chapter 3

_Stars above, that terrified me._

Xerious thought. _Huh? Who? What? There's a Nightwing here? Well, I guess she has the right to be here. Wow, those two silver scales make her look beautiful. Wait, two teardrop scales, one beside each eye? She's a mindreader. Either that or she can see the future. What if she's reading my mind right now? What if my secret is leaked? Well I guess the best thing to do is to not think of it. I wonder who it is. The green eyes is a nice touch… just what I want to see when it's dark. Although it does look nice…_

"Who the heck is that?!" Snake yelled, before calming down slightly. "Who are you? Wha… what are doing here?"

 _Good old Snake, never wasting a moment before diving into the heart of the matter._

"Oh, me? I'm Starlight!" The nightwing announced, smiling. "Who are you?" She eagerly asked.

Snake stood there, greatly confused. "My what?"

"Your name, stupid." Xerious prompted. He sighed then said, "My name is Xerious, and this doofus here is Snake."

"Xerious? That's an… interesting name. Never heard that one before." She thought, then asked them, "So what are you two doing here? And what were you talking about? A secret? Your crush? The purpose of life? What?" Starlight giggled as Snake groaned in annoyance.

"We're just here because we were bored." Xerious stated. "And that's none of your business. What are you doing here?"

"Well… I was just taking a walk in the forest when I heard you two. So I went up and said hello…… and it is a secret! So what's the secret?" Xerious sat down and closed his eyes. Snake instantly appeared, and Starlight slowly joined, having a gradual fade-in. _Wow… Snake isn't happy… anger, frustration, and… confusion? Whereas Starlight is joyful and curious. About my secret most likely. How did we end up in this situation again?_

"It's nothing. Nothing you need to worry about." Xerious assured, opening his eyes yet again. "Besides, it seems rather strange to ask that when you literally just met us. You know?"

Starlight, completely oblivious, continued. "And why do you look strange? Your scales are pure white."

"That's none of your concern!" An embarrassed Xerious hotly responded.

"It's my concern though." Snake prompted. "Why are your scales white? What happened that you were going to tell me?"

"Snake, I can't tell you, not in front of her." Xerious nodded to Starlight. "No one else can know. My future is in danger. My life can be ruined if anyone but those I trust know what this secret is."

Snake's eyes widened. "It's that bad? What?! It can't be, right? What could you possibly know at this age that can change your life forever?"

Xerious sighed. "It's not what I know, it's what I am. And that is what can hurt my future."

"You do know that if you don't tell me, I can figure it out myself."

"Starlight?! What? What do you mean?" Xerious stammered.

"I have a secret of my own." She calmly replied.

"And you're just going to tell us? Really?" Snake looked at her suspiciously. "That's not much of a secret then, if you go around telling random people this 'secret' of yours."

"Well it's not a world-changing secret, and I'd gladly reveal mine if you show yours." Starlight explained.

Xerious considered that for a bit. "That's not enough. Mine is worse. What else could you add to it?"

"What? You seriously can't be considering this, right?" Snake looked at his friend in disbelief.

"Well… let's see… what if I promised you that I wouldn't tell anyone? And if I did you could do anything to me. Anything. Hate me, hurt me, even kill me if I so much as speak a word about this. How's that?" Starlight bargained.

Xerious thought for a long time, before nodding his head. "Ok, but Snake will hear it as well. Although hopefully it won't come to death."

"Ok." Starlight sat down and beckoned them to do the same. Xerious was nervous, but he needed to get it off his shoulders. He took a deep breath.

"Do you believe in souls, Starlight?" Xerious started. Snake listened, already had given an answer.

"I believe that people have a good or evil soul, yes. Why?"

"What if I told you that you are somewhat right. Souls do exist. Do you know how I know? Because I can see them. I can see them."

Starlight let out a small gasp. Snake looked at Xerious with disbelief.

"I'm a Soul-seer. I can see the essence of others. I can feel others feelings." Silence. "I'm a Soul-seer…" Xerious repeated under his breath.

Another pause, then; "What?! You're a what?! How?! Who?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

"Snake, please calm down. I'm sorry, but with a secret like that, I couldn't just tell everyone." Xerious shuffled his paws, the ivory claws scraping on the ground. _Was this the right idea?... did I do the right thing? What have I done?_ During the course of half an hour, Xerious explained his powers. Surprisingly, Starlight was rather quiet. Snake, was less so. But they got through.

"So there you go… I have nothing left to hide…" Xerious sighed again.

"If what you say is true, then close your eyes and tell me what I'm doing." Starlight suddenly said.

Xerious shook his head and closed his eyes. "You're holding up three talons." A change of stance. "Now you're on three legs, the other up by your chest."

"Here," Snake started, "what am I doing now?"

Starlight burst out laughing. "Well let's see… you're on three legs, with the other one up in front with… oh real mature, Snake!" Snake caved in, laughing as hard as he could. Xerious opened his eyes and smiled at the scene. Starlight giggling, and Snake on the ground roaring with laughter.

"You were waiting to use that one, eh?" Xerious asked.

"Y-y-yes!" Snake managed to say. Somehow.

Starlight had finally calmed down enough to ask a more serious question. "So what are you going to do now? Now that you've told us who you really are?"

Xerious thought for only a second. "Get you to say your 'secret'."

"Oh that's easy! You know how some Nightwings can see the future?"

"Yes." The two said.

"Well I don't see the future."

"That was pretty anticlimactic." Stated Snake.

Starlight grinned. "I see the past."

Both Xerious and Snake stared at each other, Xerious with blue eyes, and Snake with his green ones. Starlight let it settle in for a bit, and watched as Xerious checked to see if it was true. Snake whispered to Xerious, and he replied. Then they looked at her and said, "Tell us more. What do you mean? Is it like seeing the future?"

Starlight sat down, then started explaining. "You've all heard the tale of Darkstalker, right? Good. It is rumored that he was able to see all three planes of time; the past, the present, and most importantly, the future. I was a normal hatching, nothing special. I hatched under a full moon, just like everyone else, and gained these scales," She pointed to her teardrop scales that marked the power of moons. "Just like everyone else. And I got powers, just like everyone else. And I got tested of my powers, just like everyone else. And I failed, the only one to do so. They were curious into why, so they tested me again, and discovered something no Nightwing had before. None but one. Only one Nightwing has ever had this power. And the power is such; At will, I can see the past, follow one perspective, see from one person's eyes. The further back I go, the harder it gets for me to read. So far I've gotten to fifty years ago. Barely. Then my sight collapses, and I must try once again. That is my secret." She finished, then sighed in relief for finishing.

 _Wow… that's impressive…… I was not expecting that much detail… Sometimes people still manage to surprise me, despite my powers_.

"Well damn." Was all Snake said, as astounded as he was.

Both Xerious and Starlight locked eyes, for a brief moment, both knowing each had revealed their greatest secrets. Both knew that everything would change. Both knew they had to rely on one another. Then they broke eye contact.

"Well it looks like I'm the only one who doesn't have a secret."

"Snake…"

"I'm normal!"

"Damnit Snake. Shut up."

"Sorry. Still a sore subject? Too soon?"

Xerious sighed and Starlight giggled. "Yes, too soon." There was a short, awkward pause, before Snake suddenly said, "The party! We could invite Starlight to the party!"

"The what?" Starlight asked, confused.

"Me and Snake are throwing a joint-hatchday party. He wants to know if you'd like to join." Xerious explained.

"Of course! Why wouldn't I? When is it?"

"If you can, tomorrow at noon underneath the Great Oak, we'll be there, waiting. We can talk about it later. Right now we need to get back. It's late. Real late." Xerious and his friends stood up, and started walking home. As they walked Xerious looked up at the three moons, now high in the night sky. The stars twinkled, and occasional wisps of clouds would float through the black canvas. The ocean smashed against the cliffs, the leaves rustled in the trees, and the insects sang in the night. How could such a peaceful, uneventful life soon turn into such a dreadfully eventful world of pain and grief?


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four!**

 **2,123 words... ack**

 **Anyways, enjoy**!

 ***Mild gore/death warning***

Three days later, three days after they met, three days since Xerious learned of something, the big day arrived. Snake, Xerious, and Starlight, had all spent those three days learning about one another. Turns out they had a lot in common. Even though technically Xerious was already six, and technically Snake was still five, it all didn't matter that day. Starlight wasn't even close to six, still having five months till she was, but still joined in. On their request of course. Xerious's family set it all up in a small clearing. The ground was flat enough to put everything together, the clearing was surrounded by dense trees, for shade and the Rainwing visitors, and the day was warm enough to give off a sense of comfort. There were tables, blankets for sitting on, and dishes. The food was already set up; with a mix of rainforest rodents, for the Nightwings and others, and an assortment of various fruits, for the Rainwings, and a pumpkin pie as the celebrator. Xerious and the other two were waiting there, each having invited a group of friends. In less than an hour, the party would start.

Xerious was pacing around, nervous, when Snake interrupted his thoughts. "Bro, calm down. It's just the same as last year. Just another hatchday. Nothing special."

"I guess you're right. I'm still trying to gather my thoughts."

"What, from that time when you told us?" Starlight broke in, looking at him.

"What are you two talking about?" Asked a voice behind them.

Xerious turned around, and then sighed. "Storykeeper! I'm glad you came!"

Storykeeper grinned. "In the flesh. How's it going?" He looked at Starlight, then back at Xerious. "And you found a lady friend. How cute."

Xerious quickly responded. "It's not like that! She's just a friend!"

"Mhm… right. Got it." Storykeeper wasn't convinced, but he let it slide. "So how does it feel to be six? You feel powerful? Only a year left till dragonhood. How does that sound?"

"A bit strange, I'll admit. But I feel the same. You know, just a boring freak. Yeah, normal." Xerious shrugged.

"You're not a freak." Storykeeper assured. "You're just… different. That's all."

"Still a freak."

Snake instantly recognized the voice, and groaned in annoyance. "Jay, shut your mouth. If that's your attitude, then just leave."

"Thanks Snake, but I'm used to it." Xerious smiled at Snake. But it still hurts nonetheless.

"Calm down. I promise I won't cause a disturbance. Yet." Jay grinned.

"I don't even know why I hang out with him." Snake whispered to Xerious.

"It does bring up some questions," Xerious admitted, "but for the time being, I'll let it be."

"What's this commotion?"

And so the party began, consisting of Xerious, Snake, Starlight, Poppy, Shiningmoon, Soulfire, Jay, Wildflower, and Storykeeper, with the parents of course. It started off merrily; Snacks and various drinks, Games and tricks, laughter and talk, and assorted gifts flowing to the gift table. The excitement grew, and the party continued. The sun sped past, mirroring the previous position, and the day grew old. Then it was time for the passing of the pumpkin pie. Everyone settled down, Starlight being the last to do so, and sat down waiting.

"So we all know why we're here, and we're here for an important reason." Started Sightviewer, Xerious's own mother. "A special someone is turning six! My very own Xerious!"

Jay muttered something, and everyone else cheered.

"And as someone pointed out, you're only your age once in your life. So that's perfect reason to celebrate today! On this day, seventy-two moons ago, my beautiful Xerious hatched. Sure, I won't hide the fact that he hatched differently than the rest," Another comment from Jay, who was now regretting his decision to come here. "but it didn't matter. Because I'm proud of him. I know the year was rough, but he made it through. And only a year till dragonhood! So without further ado, let's cut the pie!"

Cheers and shouts of excitement. Jay seemed nervous, anxious even. He got a weird look from Xerious, but nothing more. What has gotten into him? Not just nervous, he feels guilt, regret, and fear. I'll need to talk to him once I have time.

The pie was cut and handed out, the scent of pumpkin swirling over the party members. Xerious, naturally, got the biggest piece. And the rest followed. Obviously, being from Sightviewer, the pie was amazing. _Best baker in all of Pyrrhia._ Xerious thought with a smile.

The pie quickly being finished, everyone started crowding around the present table. Everyone apart from Jay, who seemed to try to get even further away from it. Xerious squeezed his way through the crowd, trying to get to the table itself. _Best time of any hatchday…_ He mused. "Ok, time for my favorite part!" Xerious announced. "First present is by… Shiningmoon!" He dug his claws into the leaf-wrapped gift. A scroll emerged. "Oooh… The Passing, A History of Pyrrhia From the Scorching to the Present. I do enjoy history scrolls! Thanks Shiningmoon!"

She smiled and said, "No problem."

"Ok! Next one!" Xerious continued. "This one is from Storykeeper!" He repeated the tradition of reducing the wrapping to ruins. "Drums! Sweet!" Xerious exclaimed, looking over the hide drums. He carefully set them over to the side. "Thanks dude!"

"Hey, now you can play something for your lady-friend."

Laughter, and a slightly embarrassed Xerious. "Whoever that may be." He muttered. "Moving on! A present fro- ooh, Snake! This one is for you!"

Snake took the small box. He opened it and gasped. "A earring? For me? Who?..."

Xerious grinned. "Me. I knew you got your ear pierced, so I took the initiative to get one for you. Like it?"

"I love it!" Snake held up the good earring, and clipped it on. "Perfect fit. Thanks dude."

"Glad you like it." Xerious picked up a wrapped scroll. "A letter? From who?" He carefully cut the wrapping down the center. Jay turned very pale. No title on the scroll. I can't understand why anyone wouldn't say their name… He opened it up, and read it to himself.

 _Dear Xerious,_

 _I see you're turning six, and since I felt so bad about what's to happen, I wanted to write to you. Surprise._

 _You may not know, but your loving father isn't as clean as you think. He used to be part of a gang of criminals in Possibility (shocking, I know), but that traitor ratted us out. We never forgot, and we never forgive. You must be wondering who I am, and the answer is one you don't want to know. But just remember that not everyone is who you think they are._

 _-A13īnï-_

 _Ps, Look behind you. Happy hatchday._

Xerious dropped the scroll. He closed his eyes. _This can't be true… it can't be…_ He noticed that, apart from the party-members, who were asking if he was alright, his own father could be seen in the woods behind him. But there was something off. His pose was one of fear and helplessness. He turned around. Death, horror, and destruction, struck into his soul. A figure walked out of the shadows, with one yellow eye and one brown, and he laughed. He looked like nothing Xerious ever saw. No tribe that he ever saw before, with the way he looked. The figure disappeared for a second, only a second, and dragged back out with him Bluebird, tied and gagged.

"Dad!" He lifted his foot up, and he put it down. That was all the time he had to react. The unknown dragon, cloaked to mask his identity, whipped out a dagger, grabbed Bluebird by the neck, and sunk the blade deep into his chest. Bluebird gasped in pain, blood spurting from the wound, and fell to the ground. The assailant pushed Bluebird away, leaving the dagger embedded in him. "Try to escape now, you backstabber." He spat on the ground, then as quickly as he appeared, he disappeared. No one moved, then Xerious ran to the shape of the body in the mud. He put a talon carefully on Bluebird's neck, and the Rainwing groaned.

"Someone grab the healers!" Xerious yelled out, then turned his attention back to the wounded dragon. "Wha… who?... A-are you ok?" He knew it was a stupid question, but he had nothing else to go by.

"My son…" He coughed up blood. Funny how such a pinprick like that could wreak havoc when inserted in the right place. "Forgive me… for the pain I will cause you because of my actions…" A pause. Xerious could see his strength was faltering. The life in his eyes was fading. "I… I fear won't make it…"

"Please… I know you can survive… don't…"

Bluebird smiled weakly, then continued. "I believe in you to stop the chaos I have created. I leave one thing... in the h-house… in the locked drawer… key's under the bed…… read it… and…" he paused, knowing that it was the end for him. With one last glance at his son, the words escaped from his mouth. "Don't mourn me……" His final breath whisped out, and then he was gone. It was that fast.

 _Gone?... Gone?... No… No…_ "No!!!" He roared, spitting white-hot flames across the trees. They fell to dust. Sightviewer was crying, and everyone else stood stock-still. No one knew what to do. They just witnessed murder, and didn't know what to do. Snake was the first to move, and ran up to Xerious. Skylight followed after. Skylight wrapped her wings around Xerious, saying nothing. Snake put his own wing around him, and Xerious let it out. He cried, grief overtaking him. And on that day, a small part of him died away.

Xerious woke up in his bare bed, and looked around. Everything was there; the cabinets, the oil lamp, and the plain walls. They found, after closer examination, that Bluebird had indeed bled out. It had punctured one of the vital arteries in his chest. The precision involved to hit it was unbelievable. It was one of the few places where, if struck, would certainly condemn the unlucky person to a painful death. Knowing it did not make him feel better. Xerious stood up, before laying back down. He didn't want to accept that fact. He couldn't. Memories upon memories washed over him. His first hatchday, the days they spend chatting, laughing together, doing stuff they both knew Sightviewer wouldn't approve of. It all came to him. And then it hit home. _He's gone…… forever…_ Xerious turned over and silently sobbed into the simplistic bed. That was it. How could he go on like this? His own father was killed in front of him. Because of some small thing he did seven years ago. His own father. It was then that he remembered what Bluebird said to him. Those last words.

 _In the locked drawer?_ He stopped weeping, and stood back up. _What could he have meant?_ He looked out the window and saw it was early dawn. Xerious turned around and carefully opened the door, stepping out of his small room. No one was in the hall, so he walked over and pushed open the door to Sightviewer and Bluebird's previous room. Strangely enough, Sightviewer wasn't there, but that didn't concern Xerious one bit. For he had only one thing in his mind. "Under the bed?..." He lifted the plain mat-like bed, and saw something hidden in a crack. Xerious carefully picked it up, grasping it with his talons. It was a silver key. He eyed it carefully, then put the bed down and turned around to the drawer. Indeed it was locked, only ever opened by Bluebird himself. Xerious slipped in the key, and turned it. The mechanism unlocked with a solid _click_. Inside was a notebook. That was all, a notebook. A simple notebook. Well, note-scroll, that is. And it was thick, the scroll looked to be a many-hour read. _He told me to read it?... What is this?_ Xerious looked at the title. "Bluebird's journal/stories." He sat down, opened it up more, and began reading the heritage his father left him.

 _On the hatchday of the gifted one,_

 _A friendship is born._

 _On the hatchday of the gifted one,_

 _The family love is torn._

 _A dagger to the chest,_

 _Put the turned one to rest._

 _And the gifted one,_

 _Knew he was done,_

 _With the turned one at rest._

 _The foe was exposed,_

 _And one's life was brought to a close._

 _He revealed his true power,_

 _Upon that final hour,_

 _And on that day when he found he lied,_

 _A small part of him died._

 _A small part of him d13D_


	5. Chapter 5

_3rd Moon, Day 17, 2831 A.S._

 _Many people have recommended this. To start a Journal. They say it will keep me from losing my sanity. Of course, I highly doubt it. But at this point, I'm out of options. If I want them to trust me, I need to start doing what they say. And so I shall._

 _3rd Moon, Day 20, 2831 A.S._

 _I'll confess, I lied up there. The guilt made me write this. Maybe I am regaining my humanity, for a killer shouldn't feel guilt. Many people may have recommended this, but the truth is that one person made me. Think of it as a prescription. I'm sick, and the book is my medication. I don't know how to feel of this, but then again I've been confused ever since the incident._

 _3rd Moon, Day 26, 2831 A.S._

 _It's been almost a week since I put an entry in here. I've been pretty cryptic, and I don't like that. So I'll be blunt. For anyone who possibility reads this later, preferably when I'm dead (Maybe they'll discover something in the future based on what I write). I… I killed someone. Got into a fight, and before I knew it, bam, dead dragon. Of course I was punished, and it wasn't good. A year of being locked up. But they noticed that I didn't seem quite right. I was different than all the other cases. I had a rather unstable mind, and they saw that. They also saw that I did actually feel bad. So they reassigned my punishment. Instead of eighty years in prison, I was taken out, and was forced to have meetings with a psychologist. He gave me the assignment to do a journal like this. And so here I am._

 _4th Moon, Day 2, 2831 A.S._

 _Three days since last entry. Nothing much has happened. Just the usual. Glares, comments, and another meeting. It went ok, Dr. Raven (Bad-ass name, I know) said I was doing well with the journal, but wanted me to start getting out some more. I'll try, no guarantees._

Xerious noticed not much more after that, just small entrees of progress updates. That was until he got to the 8th Moon.

 _8th Moon, Day 9, 2831 A.S_

 _It's been four Moons since the journal started, and I think I'm worse now. At least if I was in prison I'd be fed. I barely have enough to buy food. And everyone wouldn't serve me anyways. But just today someone approached me with an offer. He was of no tribe I've ever seen before, with one yellow eye that felt like it was looking into my darkest secrets. He approached me and said he knew my current position, and then said he could help. I took it in a flash, before even knowing what I was offering. He smiled at me, and said he would be here the next day. And then he left me, wondering what I have done._

 _8th Moon, Day 10, 2831 A.S._

 _What have I done? I was stupid to think he'd help. He explained why he actually wanted to see me, and I honestly don't know how I feel. He's part of a gang in Possibility, the Black Tail. He said they needed more members like me, especially after a certain incident. I'll admit, it appealed to me. He told me I'd be fed, have a place to stay, and that in the group, everyone was equal. The only thing in return, was for me to pledge my allegiance to them. Didn't sound like much, and besides, it was the start of a new life. Possibility, where your possibilities can become realities. By the end of next week, I'll have packed my things and left, and no one will be the wiser. Besides, no one would miss me anyways. Still, was it the right thing to join a criminal organization? Anyone would say no, is it wrong that I think it was?_

 _8th Moon, Day 15, 2831 A.S._

 _I arrived at Possibility. It was unbelievable hot. I got some glances, for why would a Rainwing be in Possibility when it could be comfortably accepted in the lush Rainforest? But Black Tail chose wisely, I'm one of the only Rainwings to have ever killed someone before. The figure introduced himself as -A\i%-. He was only part of the organization, but the leader of Black Tail. He took me into a building, just outside of town. A fortress is more like it. There was some mean looking guards patrolling the walls. Did I mention the building had walls around it? Not much use against dragons, probably just to intimidate them. It was empty inside the actual house though. He told me that everyone else was out, and told me to find an open room and make myself comfortable. And here I am, sitting on a makeshift bed, writing in this journal. I don't know why I keep this thing. I'm not in the Rainforest, I don't need to follow the doctor's orders. But something keeps me holding onto it. I don't know what, but something is. The last of my sanity?_

Xerious stopped reading and went back up to the name. For some reason, the name Bluebird was trying to write was completely vandalized beyond recognition. All he could make out was an "A" at the beginning. He thought for a bit. Obviously the someone knew of this entry and hid his identity. And he knew who "it" was. The same person who murdered his father. The description fit perfectly. He tightened his grip on the scroll, trying not to be consumed in the rage and despair he felt. He breathed in, calming down enough, before continuing with the writing.

 _8th Moon, Day 17, 2831 A.S_.

 _After two days of waiting, I finally met the rest of the crew. There was eleven of them, not including -A/!-. Here's the list of them. There's Boen, a Sandwing. He's the planner. If you ask him what you're doing that night, he'll give you a briefing that even the captain of Queen Snowflake's army would be impressed. Then there's Steelwing. He's a nightwing. He's planning on being an assassin, so he's taking lessons from AlAn:. He'll probably never be as good, after seeing what the master can do, but he's really good. And then there's Snowstorm. She's the only female here. And I'm proud of her. She told me her story, and apparently she fought hard to enter. Don't be fooled by her beauty, she's frostbite waiting for the time when you're foolish enough to expose yourself. And believe me when I say she's sometimes a pain. She's the weapon's expert, for when we need more than her serrated claws of death. Then Ash, a Skywing who's simply a pickpocket. Nothing special. After that is Silt, which is an unusual name for a Mudwing. He's the dude who keeps us all from being captured. He keeps us safe. Everyone else isn't that important. Hurricane, Nightwalker, Striker, Spirit, Cloudseeker, and Scorpion. Together them, the special operators, -A\i%-, and me, make the group. Thirteen of us. The unlucky number. Only time will now tell what they'll make me do._

This entry was important for a very crucial clue. Xerious saw it as soon as he read it. The leader crossed his name, but left everyone else completely uncensored. The leader, whoever he was, obviously didn't care for the identity of the other members. It raised questions, but Xerious knew he didn't have enough information to answer any of them. He continued reading, noting the highly detailed entries. Some covered crimes so gruesome, it made him gag. Some so horrendous, he doubted that his own father did it. And some private parts of Bluebird's life that made him red with embarrassment. Apparently Sightviewer wasn't the first to get to Bluebird. Surprisingly enough, Snowstorm and Bluebird were together as well. And rather close as well. Xerious spent the next hour going through entry after entry. From what he gathered, Snowstorm was going to retire, and Bluebird would follow a little bit after. They were going to live together in a house that was out of the way of everyone else. Together they planned on living there and raising a family of soon-to-be dragonets. But then he came upon the worst entry so far.

 _13th moon, Day 11, 2831 A.D._

 _She's dead._ ** _DEAD! All because of HIM. HE killed HER. For what?! NOTHING. SHE announced her retirement, and HE laughed. Said that SHE could leave if she wanted to. But then HE played the worst trick of them all. It only took a dagger to the back in the right place, and the life of HER spilled onto the floor. Then she was gone. GONE! HE KILLED HER. FOR NOTHING. SHE JUST WANTED TO LEAVE IN PEACE! AND NOW HE WILL SUFFER. SUFFER! I CAN'T WAIT FOR HIM TO FEEL THE PAIN. TO SUFFER!_**

 _I need to get out of here… I NEED to get out of here._

Xerious didn't realise they were that close to each other. The following entries were increasingly chaotic. The showing of his lost of sanity. And he showed it. Jumbled words, imagining of voices, and frantic handwriting. The last entry before the change was the worst.

 _Moon 13, Dya 19, 2831 AD.._

 _Gotta esCape. I nede to get uto of ere. Tonight im leeving. I cAnt deel with this anymoor. Gotto get aWya rom here. Im leavng, adn in doinh it NOW._

 _13th Moon, Day 25, 2831 A.D._

 _I did the impossible. I escaped. I escaped. I went to hell and back, and lived to tell the tale. I went to the nearest police and turned myself in. I couldn't live like that, my consciousness that I still have won't let me. They heard everything I said, my whole story. Then about them. Their weaknesses, their strengths. The important members, and the less so. They didn't exactly let me go, but they did take me back to the rainforest, and let them take care of me. It's only been four days since I arrived, and I can already feel myself put the past behind me. But some things can't be forgiven. Some things can't be forgot._

 _9th Moon, Day 12, 2832 A.D._

 _I believe that this will be my last entry. Advance guidance from kind people have set me on my way. I have a job, a wife, and a beautiful egg that we made. I'm on the right track, I don't need this anymore. But I wonder if someone else will. In all my sad life, I only now have one regret, and that is that I didn't get to get my revenge for Snowstorm._

- _Bluebird-_

Xerious rolled up the scroll, and then sat there thinking for a long time. Rage, anger, sadness, were all common feelings now. He didn't know how much time pass, nor did he care. He cared about one thing, and one thing only.

"Xerious?"

He looked up. There in the doorway was Snake, with Skylight behind him. "Snake?... Sky?... What are you doing here?"

Skylight smiled at him. "We thought you could use some company. And who else than the two people you trust the most? Frankly, I can't blame you for choosing us." She stuck out her tongue playfully.

"What she said." Snake said, then walked up to Xerious. "Look, I know it's hard. How do you think I felt when my father was murdered? I almost died. You were lucky you weren't hurt. But if you don't learn to cope with it, you could be. I don't want that to happen. Neither of us want it." Skylight nodded in agreement. "Just remember, we're always here for you, no matter what."

Xerious smiled slightly, then it faded. He picked up the scroll, and then put it away. "There's a difference, Snake. That thing… whoever killed Bluebird," The name felt weird, saying his father's actual name. "Whoever killed him, it wasn't just him. The person who killed Bluebird has done awful deeds, some unimaginable. Innocent people, killed. Countless crimes. He already ruined one hope of a family, and he wreaked another." Xerious explained, remembering his father's first love. "I have made my mind, I only ask one thing of you guys. Will you go to Possibility with me? To make him pay." He grinned, thinking of what he would do to the leader.

"For Snowstorm.

For Bluebird.

For me…

You selfish monster."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello!** **So here's the sixth chapter! This is the longest one I've created, with 2,400 words, but certainly not the longest one to come. I'm proud to declare that I have made a full plan of my story, so I can see everything to come, and development should be quicker! I'll only say that we have 33-24-x=7 where x is the number of chapters left.** **I _do_ read reviews, and I'll be adressing _all_ of them in the next chapter.** **Thanks for you're support!** **It's really a pleasure to write, and for you all to enjoy it!** **On that note, I'll get into the chapter!** **This one contains mildly stronger language than the others, but felt it was ok to leave it at T. If you really think otherwise, I'll bump it up.** **Enjoy!**

"You're doing what?! No! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

Xerious sighed. "I hoped you'd understand… I guess I was wrong."

"I do understand! Your mind's clouded with grief. You need to think. If you follow this guy, you could be the one getting killed! Think!" Snake yelled at his best friend. The argument went on for a few minutes. Snake and Xerious battling back and forth, with Starlight sitting there, thinking. Giving up on convincing him, Xerious turned around and said, "It doesn't matter. I'm going anyways. Whether you come or not is up to you guys. But I'm going."

Snake looked defeated, but he tried one last time. "Xerious… just think about it, you're going after the best assassin in the world! And what are you going to do once you find him anyway?"

"Isn't that obvious?" He turned around and Snake was struck by the lack of emotion in Xerious's eyes. Nothing. Darkness. Empty. "I'm going to kill him."

Snake stood there shocked, trying to comprehend what his best friend just said. It was Skylight who beat him to it. "Is this a joke?! Are you serious?! Going after him is suicide!"

"Exactly what I was saying!" Snake proclaimed.

"Besides…" Skylight looked Xerious straight into his dark-blue eyes. "That's not you. I know you, and you're not like that. You'd never kill someone. You'd never hurt anyone."

Xerious turned away from her. "Then maybe you don't know me as well as you thought you did. I'm leaving." He started walking off as Skylight gasped in shock. He opened the door.

"Wait!" Snake walked up to him. "I'm coming too. I won't leave you by yourself. You may be a fool blinded by grief, but I'm sure as hell ain't gonna leave you to get murdered without me."

Skylight walked up to him. "You may be a rude ass, but for you, I'll join your quest."

Xerious looked at them, and cracked a smile. "You really are my best friends. Thanks for this. All of this."

"That's what friends do. Shall we start this journey?" Snake asked.

Xerious nodded. "We shall. Let us carry on to the city of all possibilities, where anything could happen. Like bringing a murderer to justice." Xerious had studied his history and geography, and he knew exactly how to get to the city of Possibility. Two of the dragonets were riddled with excitement and fear. Fear being the dominant feeling. Xerious felt only mild contentment. He was doing what he was supposed to do. He felt as if his all his life lead up to this moment. If he were to close his eyes and look down, he'd notice his soul to be glowing a little bit dimmer. He didn't of course. Xerious didn't know how his mother was going to react, but in his mind, she was happy. He's getting his revenge on the dragon that killed her husband, how could she not be happy? He decided in the end to leave without a word to her. Better that way, he thought. He was wrong. Leaving without a word was the biggest mistake in his life. You can't convince someone not to go if they're already gone.

The day went on uneventful. The terrain whisked past them, the trees a blur under their wings. They spotted a couple dragons, but none seemed to care where three dragonets were briskly flying to by themselves, they had their own problems. Unlike the there's everyday flight, this one involved endurance. None of them really had to worry about that in the rainforest, there was always a place to rest if they got tired. Here though, they were alone. The day started drawing to a close, and the night crept up upon them. Snake, probably the most intelligent when it came to survival, chose a place under a mountain, one of the many early ones in the chain of mountains called the Claws of the Clouds mountains. They set up 'camp' there, and all tried to settle down. Xerious was laying on a bed of undergrowth leaves and moss. There was a fire, although it was just for light and comfort. The first of the three moons appeared over the horizon, casting it's silvery light across the landscape, and pushing away the last of the day. Xerious turned over and closed his eyes, knowing he had a lot to do the following day.

Xerious awoke to moonlight. The three moons were high in the sky, and their light lit up the camp. The fire was out, Snake was asleep, and Skylight was nowhere to be found. That woke him up. He stood up and jumped into the air, unfolding his wings. He winced as he felt the soreness from the exertion of the day before, and climbed into the sky. He started panicking as he couldn't see her anywhere, then a sign of relief as he saw her on the mountaintop, sitting there, looking over the edge. Skylight's color made it almost impossible to notice, and he was lucky he even saw her. Xerious soared over to her and gracefully landed behind her. It was then he was struck by her beauty. _How have I not noticed this before?..._ The moons shone down upon her, one full, one getting there, and one starting it's new life. All beamed down, making her black scales sparkle. Her wings, speckled with star-white dots, blended perfectly into the night sky. Her teardrop diamond, shining brightly in contrast to her dark body. And her eyes, her emerald-green eyes, glowed in the night, shining, shining with a ferocity he never saw before. To him, she was perfect in every way. Everything down to the scale, was flawless in his eyes. He stood there, awestruck. He felt like he was seeing things all wrong, and then the lens he needed slipped over him, seeing her for who she was.

"Skylight… I just want to say… about earlier in the house… I'm really sorry. I was angry, and sad. I hope you can forgive me…"

"I forgive you. I understand. Are you coming over?" Without turning around, she uttered those simple words. Xerious walked to her, then sat down beside the Nightwing, admiring her. He never felt this way before, about anyone.

"What are you doing up here, so late?" Was all he could think of.

"I could never really go to sleep at night, my time is among the night sky. How about you? Surely you're not here just because you wanted to see me. I'm too boring for that." She grinned at him, the moonlight glimmering off her teeth. Her smile, her laugh, her humor, her personality, her everything. It was like she was his perfect other. He couldn't get her out of his head.

"That's where you're wrong. I did come up here for you." He said.

"Oh?" Starlight said, surprised. There was a awkward pause, in which Xerious couldn't think of anything. And then he gathered his courage.

"You look beautiful, you know that?"

A mild look of embarrassment. "You don't look that bad yourself."

"But I truly believe that. You're perfect in every way."

Now she blushed. "Well I mean what I say as well. As different as you may look, you're wonderful… in… in many ways… I'm being sincere."

"Skylight?"

"Yes?..."

"Have you ever had feelings for someone before?"

"Why?..."

"Because I believe I'm in love."

Xerious woke up to Skylight next to him, sleeping still, and Snake starting a fire. Snake noticed and looked up. "Well I'll be damned. You actually woke up! We've missed a lot of daylight actually. My guess is that it's about eleven. What were you doing last night to be this tired?"

Xerious shifted his weight guiltily. "Well… it was a long flight yesterday… I was exhausted… and you know…"

"If flying wears you out that much, today's going to be living hell for you." He pointed out.

At that moment Skylight woke up. She yawned and looked up. "Hey Snake, how are you this fine morning?" She noticed Xerious as well, and seemed to soften a bit. "And you too Xerious. How are you doing today?" She flashed him a quick smile.

Xerious visibly lit up. His posture straightened, and he looked more alive. "Well since you asked, I'm doing fine. Seeing you is probably the main reason."

Snake eyed them suspiciously, raising an eye-crest. He muttered something to himself. He then leaned over and grabbed a carcass off the ground. "Here, eat up. We still have a long way to go." He tossed what seemed to be a sheep over to the two.

After the breakfast, they continued their way. Skylight put out the fire Snake had just started, to his dismay, and then took off. Xerious knew he still had a long way to go. He calculated the distance, and came up with the answer. He estimated they would just get out of the mountain range, maybe into the Kingdom of Sand. Then they should arrive at Possibility the following day. Just as the previous, this day was rather boring. The only difference was setting. Instead of trees, there were mountains. Lots of mountains. Xerious remembered something he read out of his geography textbook. "Pyrrhia is known for its unique diversity of climate. Seemingly in just a few days, you can go from the freezing snowstorms to the arid desert. The reason being for this natural phenomenon is due to the Claw of the Clouds mountain range. The separation of the continent into two via the mountains, and the varying altitudes of those mountains, have created what is essentially a weather modifier." Seeing the jagged peaks made all doubt of that statement disappear.

The day waned, and soon it was night yet again. Just as Xerious had predicted, they had arrived at the very edge of the Kingdom of Sand. He could feel the dryness in the air. They all could feel the heat grow. But only Xerious could feel the joy at arriving closer to their destination. His wings were sore, but that wasn't uncommon with them. Even Snake seemed to be careful when folding in his wings. The moons came out, and the sun fell away. The moonlight showed a vastly different world than last time. As if it was an alien landscape. Snake fell asleep, oddly quiet, and Xerious tried to do the same. His mind kept on flickering to the night before, and he eventually gave up. He rolled off his pallet and stood up. Skylight wasn't that hard to find, she was basking in the moonlight, as if she was soaking in the power of the glorious rays. Exactly on queue Skylight opened her eyes and greeted him. The night went on, and Xerious didn't regret any moment of it. He and Skylight talked late into the night, about various topics. What would happen once they got there, what they'd do once they got home, and later that night, other, more embarrassing topics that they shared together. They felt safe, secure even, together. They trusted each other fully. Nothing lasts forever, however. Soon they admitted it wouldn't be good to stay up any more. Xerious felt happy, he enjoyed their time together. Tired, but content, he settled down onto his nest and succumbed to the welcoming sleep. He didn't realize how tired he was until he laid down. He only wondered what the next day would bring.

"Wakey wakey! Time to get your lazy ass off the ground."

"Mmmhmph... five more minutes Snake…"

"Now."

"No…"

"Alright, you asked for it."

A pause, then pain seared up his tail.

"Owww!" Xerious jumped up, shouting. "What's that for?!"

Snake was sitting there, the end of Xerious's tail firmly in his mouth. In a way he looked pleased with himself, which only made Xerious more enraged. Snake dropped the tail and looked at him. "You up yet?"

"Yes! I'm up! That bloody hurt! Why would you do that?" Xerious asked, a look of fury in his eyes.

"So that we can get going to where we want to go! You want to go, actually. I'd much rather prefer staying home."

The was a giggle behind him, and Xerious spun around. He relaxed a bit when he saw that it was just Skylight. "Oh three moons, you scared me! Try not to do that please."

"Ok, I'll try not too. Sorry." She apologized, seeming only slightly apologetic.

"Thank you sweetie." The word sounded interesting on his tongue, as if it was unknown. Skylight giggled, and Snake noticed the whole thing as unusual. He didn't know how to feel, and you could see his confusion on his face.

"Ok you two lovebirds, let's get going." Snake joked, trying to get away from the apparent affection. He unfolded his wings and took off. Xerious nodded at Skylight and they followed him. As they flew deeper into the Kingdom's territory, the climate grew increasingly hotter. They could feel the heat beating down upon them. Xerious and Skylight were visibly reacting to the heat, but Snake seemed to be completely fine. He felt better than he had for a long time. Whereas Skylight was suited for the darkness, and Xerious for the temperate climates, Snake relished the desert feel. He was, after all, made for the desert. The day wore on, and the sun threw everything it had at them. All Xerious could think was that he was glad he wasn't a Icewing. _And to think only a few hour ago we were soaring over the cool mountains…_ Their flying was eventually rewarded. As the sun set down upon the earth, Xerious noticed a dot at the end of the horizon. It grew bigger, and bigger, until distinct features were noticeable. Small huts, roads, and towering buildings as tall as five floors. The span of the city was massive. It filled up almost your entire vision, and dragons could be seen throughout the bustling city. It certainly grew since it started. It's possibility was obviously seen by many, as dragons came from all over Pyrrhia to gather here, and to start a new life. Xerious let out a whoop of joy, and Skylight did a somersault in victory. Even Snake laughed, finally arriving at their destination. For this was the great city of Possibility. They have been rewarded with what they strived to get to. They made it. They reached a huge part of their journey.

The question now is, will their effort be worth it? Or did they push closer to their doom?


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! Welcome to the seventh chapter! This one got much longer than expected, but that's fine. I had fun writing this one!**

 **As promised, answering reviews.**

 **LemonDrops, I'm glad that you found the first chapter adorable. It was a pleasure writing it! As for you statement... All I'll say is that you're not right. Sadly. You'll see why soon :)**

 **Maple Dapple, Thanks for the support! I'm glad you enjoy it!**

 **Dethbrngeriscool, Technically you're incorrect. They used an enchanted item to tell, but they themselves couldn't see souls. I can see how you can be confused, however.**

 **LeederLee, Thanks! It means a lot!**

 **Comments answered, I'll move on to the chapter. Enjoy!**

 _Possibility… we made it… but now what?_ It suddenly hit Xerious that he had no clue what he wanted to really do now. Sure, the reason he was here was for his father's killer, but should he confront the killer now? Should he wait? It occurred to him that he really had no plan at all. All he had was a set of journal entries he read once by a then insane criminal. His own father probably murdered people, who's to say that he _didn't_ deserve to die? Xerious didn't know anything about his father's past. But he made up his mind. His reasoning was simple. People missed Bluebird. No one will miss _it_. Deep down in his heart, he wanted to go to the assassin, to deal out his punishment. But then he looked back at his friends. They were exhausted. And Xerious had to admit to himself that he really wasn't in the shape to fight anyone. They had been sleeping rough for the past two days, and pretty much been flying anytime they weren't eating or sleeping. He sighed. "Ok… I know this is all awkward and weird, but let's just ignore that. Tomorrow we'll go look for who we're looking for. Maybe try to find the lair I read in the journal. Tonight though, we'll sleep in a warm bed and the company of others."

Snake cocked his head. "As in staying at an inn? Is that a good idea?"

"'Course it is. As long as the keeper gets paid, I'm sure they wouldn't care who gets the room, dragonet or not." Xerious explained.

"Pay with what? We're completely broke." Snake pointed out.

Skylight nodded in agreement. "I certainly don't have anything."

Xerious grinned. "Ahh, but I do." He revealed a sack of coins from his storage pouch. The pouch was hanging on his chest, and was typical for most dragons, as the back was rather hard to reach for most, making backpacks inconvenient and annoying.

Snake gasped. "Where did you get that?"

Still grinning, Xerious responded with, "I just _borrowed_ it from my mother, no big deal."

Snake's shock turned into humor. "Judging from what I know about your mother, she's gonna demand a pretty big interest."

Xerious laughed. "No joke. She's gonna flip when she notices. Anyways, let's fine someplace to settle for the night, shall we?"

The three flew over the city, looking for a decent place to stay. They noticed someplace titled "Silverclaw's Inn: The Best in Pyrrhia!" and decided it'd be worth a shot. Skylight burst through the door, and the noises of the inn broke outside. It was deafening. Xerious thought that the sentence on the sign was just to attract easily manipulated customers, he didn't think the place would be _busy_. But it most certainly was. And, it seemed, there was only one staff member. A silver dragon that ran between tables and that disappeared into the bar. Xerious nodded at Snake, and then walked in. There were dragons everywhere, of all the named tribes. The only exception was the staff herself. She was so different than the others, she most definitely wasn't one of the tribes. No tribe was solid silver, and her make-up was different than the rest, no prominent features. Xerious walked up to the counter and waited. After five minutes the silver dragon dashed to the counter, gave a pleasing smile, and then said, "Hello! Welcome to my inn! I'm assuming you need something?" She spoke in a tone that appealed to most everyone. Casual and witty, with a slight hint of authority.

"Yes ma'am. How much is it for three to stay in a room the night?"

"You can just call me Silverclaw. And I'm sorry to inform you, I don't have enough space for three. But if you were to take a double room and have someone sleep on the floor, then it'd be ten crowns."

Ten crowns was a fairly reasonable price, especially seeing how nicely lavished the inn was. Xerious looked back to the two. They nodded. It was the best they got. "I'll take it." He said, sliding the money to her.

She took it, counted it, and then put the coins away. "Excellent! Here's your key. Second floor, door six!" She handed them the keys to the room they acquired. Xerious took the keys and walk off. He and the others walked up the stairs, then counted the doors. Xerious put the key in and turned it. He opened the door. The beauty of the room was shocking. _Only for ten crowns?_

Snake whistled and said, "We struck the jackpot guys, this is amazing!" He walked through the door and looked around, taking it all in. Skylight and Xerious followed, Xerious closing the door behind him.

"So who's sleeping on the floor?" Xerious asked.

Skylight instantly responded with a shout of "Me!"

She got looks from the other two. "What? I'm used to it. I live in a house with only three beds, and there's five of us."

"Wait, what?"

"I didn't tell you? My family's too poor to afford anything better, and being the last child, everything else was already claimed. So I sleep on the floor." Skylight explained without hesitation.

"I… I didn't know about that…" Xerious stammered.

"It's ok, I don't really care much anyways. I've just learned to deal with it." Skylight told him reassuringly.

There was an awkward silence. It dragged on for a bit and wasn't broken until everyone was getting ready to go to bed. It was Xerious that shattered the silence, as something he never thought about popped into his mind. "Snake? I just realized something."

"Hmm?"

"How does it feel to be in your birth town?"

Skylight jumped in. "Snake was born in Possibility? Really?"

Snake sighed. "Yes, we lived here for three years. And then my father got killed in a night raid. As civilized as this place may seem, it's still full of crooks and thugs. It's still the same really, you just haven't noticed it."

"Your father was killed as well?" Skylight asked.

"Yes, and I almost died as well. That's how I got my scar." Snake said, pointing to the line of brown that went from the top of his right eye-crest down to a couple inches below his eye. "If the blade of that knife was any closer, I'd be wearing an eye-patch." He stated.

"So both of your have no fathers? Then why are you really this upset, Xerious?" The question rose from Skylight's mouth without thought. Xerious wasn't so pleased by the question though.

"What do you mean? My father was murdered! Is there a reason I shouldn't be angry?" Xerious demanded, staring at her.

"What she's trying to say is, why not just talk about it with me? We have a lot in common, more so now. It's not going to help to confront your father's death, especially not _killing_ him."

Skylight continued Snake's thought. "The pain you're feeling, Xerious, is from the inside. You need someone else to ease that pain. And you're looking at them."

Xerious turned over, as if making his decision. "That criminal deserves to die. That's the only "someone" who will ease my pain." _As I watch him suffer for what he did._ He closed his eyes, and the familiar sight of lights appeared. Snake's light, bright but tormented. Skylight's light, courageous and forceful. And then his… dim and troubled. A shadow of his former light. _I must be seeing things. It shouldn't be that dark. That… lifeless. It looks almost like my father at times._ He thought, remembering his father's occasional bouts of insanity. It was always slight, but it produced the same amount of light as his. _Am I going insane?..._ Xerious didn't feel as worried as he should have been. All he worried about was finding _him_. And then Xerious remembered something. _When I last saw Bluebird alive, I only felt his soul. I didn't see the other one's soul. Why?..._ The question burned in his head, until eventually he fell into a troubled sleep.

His dreams were unpleasant, to say the least, as if it felt the oncoming conflict. He woke up seeming as tired as he felt when he closed his eyes. Xerious looked out the window. It was bright outside, the sun being high in the sky. He cursed silently and jumped out of bed. He should have woken up hours earlier. Snake and Skylight were already up, talking to each other.

"Why didn't you wake me up?!"

"Oh, hey bro. We just wanted to let you get as much sleep as possible." Snake shrugged.

"Didn't help much…"

Skylight beckoned him over. "We've been discussing something that you might want to know about."

Xerious walked over and sat down in the rather small huddle. "What's so important?" He inquired.

"While you were asleep, we did an inspection of the outskirts of the city." Xerious tried to object, but was shushed by Skylight, who continued. "We took what your father said in his journal, and narrowed down the search. In fact, we might have found the right building. It looks exactly what I expected the building to look; outside of town, walled off, and evil-sensing. The only thing that got me off guard was how run-down it was. It seemed like it wasn't inhabited for years." She explained, remembering each detail.

"I guess the organization fell apart after Bluebird left. It's a good place to start." Xerious stood up and started to the door.

"Wait."

"Yes Snake?"

"Are you sure about this? Confronting a trained assassin?"

"I'm sure. No ifs. No buts. We're doing this. Although you can stay here if you want. You don't have to go with me."

"Pfft. We're coming with you. I'm sure you wouldn't mind someone watching your back."

"Thanks guys…"

 _There it is, right there._ The group had flown over Possibility, the dreaded building being on the other side of the big city. And they had arrived. It was exactly what Xerious envisioned in his mind. A miniature fortress with a empowering wall around it. He remembered what Bluebird had to say. " _Did I mention the building had walls around it? Not much use against dragons, probably just to intimidate them._ " Xerious smiled. _Yeah, definitely intimidation._ They soared over the walls, and Xerious thought about the possible guards that were on the other side of the wall. But he was lucky, the place was abandoned. He sighed in relief. A sudden humorous thought broke into his mind. _What we're doing is pretty much the definition of illegal. Breaking into someone's property, check. Murderous intent, check. Actual murder about to be committed, check. By bringing down the criminal, we have become one ourselves. Ironic. And surprisingly poetic._ They landed in the courtyard, and each one of them had all different thoughts. For one, it was impressively quiet. For another, why were they there. And for a third, satisfaction and the feeling of a closer goal. Skylight, yet again, broke the silence. _She really could never stay quiet for long._ Xerious thought passionately.

"We're here. Should we go inside?" She asked, nodding to a rusting, open door.

Xerious walked towards the door. "We should." He entered the building. "I really don't believe he's here, but we should keep a lookout for any clues he might have left. The place seems abandoned, though." Wrong again.

Snake entered as well, closely followed by Skylight, who let out a "Wow" from behind.

The walls were covered in moss, with water dripping from about. _Dark corridor with dripping water cliche._ Xerious thought humorously, remembering something he read. "Well, let's continue down, shall we? Seems like the central room is just down this hallway." Xerious quickened his pace. "I'm sure we'll find _something_ in there." The first true statement.

Snake hurried as well, surprised by Xerious's speed and determination. "Hold up Xerious! Slow down!"

Xerious looked back and stuck out his tongue, before entering the main room. Someone was already there. Watching. Waiting. One shining, yellow eye instantly swiveled over to look at him. Terror struck into him. The outline of a body could be seen in the dim light. The exact same outline as the one of the dragon who plunged a dagger into his father's chest. _Him…_

"Yes, me. Aren't you delighted to see me?" The shadowy figure spoke.

"You…" _It's really him. It's awful. It's like he's staring into my very existence…_ "You! You killed my father, didn't you?! Who are you?!" Rage caused Xerious to think irrationally, and he ignored his friends running over him.

"I bet you were dying for the big reveal. Don't worry, I don't plan on killing you with the reveal. I have something else for that. But for now, I'll answer you question, and play your games. I'm Aleinix." The very name itself seemed… _wrong._ Just saying felt evil, twisted. A shiver ran down Xerious's spine. He closed his eyes for a brief second, just to get a glimpse of Aleinix. There was nothing, no light at all. Not even a faint glow.. _That's why I couldn't see his soul… he has none._ This impossibility hit him, and he suddenly grasped how ridiculous that was. But it was true. "Yes, I did kill your father. He deserved it really." He sounded bored, as if the whole thing was irrelevant. The traitorous bastard. I'm glad he's dead, he ruined the entire organization. The Black Tail collapsed after he left. I'm the only one left. I'm sad really, I never tortured him before he died."

A tear ran down Xerious's snout. "You monster! How could you?! You killed Snowstorm, you killed Bluebird, you killed countless others. When's it going to end?! What's it worth?!"

"It'll end when I go to the grave. I won't rest until then. I really getting bored of this. I think your stupid game is over. And just by the way," Aleinix leaned in and then whispered, "I won."

"Xerious!" Snake yelled, running towards him.

"Snake! Don't!" Xerious shouted, but it was too late. It was too late. Without warning, Aleinix leaped forward in front of Snake. Snake tried to stop, he tried to defend himself, but it was too late. It was too late. Aleinix lifted his paw, and with a resounding _crack_ , it met Snake's head. It was a clean hit. Snake's eyes rolled back into his head, and he collapsed to the ground, limp. Skylight screamed, and tried to run to Xerious, but terror stuck her to the spot. Aleinix turned to look at her, and smiled. Xerious roared and ran after the assassin. But he was too late. Aleinix pivoted around and his tail met her head, knocking her away. His smile grew as she fell to the floor.

"Noo!" Xerious yelled at the top of his lungs. How could this have gone so wrong?

Aleinix turned around to face Xerious. "You and your father have been a pain in the ass since I saw you two. I'll make sure your bloodline won't continue. You and your family will die out. First was your treacherous father, then it'll be you, then any relatives. And guess what, it's your turn now. Isn't that perfect?" He advanced upon Xerious, but Xerious back away as well. "You really think you can escape?" He grinned, his yellow eye shining brightly in the dark. "That's cute." It was a voice with no emotion. And then he struck. Quicker than Xerious could ever imagine, Aleinix ran up to him. With the twist of his body, Aleinix dove down, put his arm against Xerious's neck, and shoved him against the wall. In a way, it was graceful. The movement left Xerious pinned against the wall, gasping for air, and exposed his vulnerable underside.

"Don't worry about your friends, they're just knocked out. It was nothing personal, I'll let them live. This, on the other hand, is. And I _won't_ let you live." Aleinix saw the fear, the primal terror, that shone in Xerious's eyes, and laughed. It was humorless, devoid of thought. "Ok. I'm done now. I don't have time for this crap." Xerious saw Aleinix's claws, and then pain exploded on his chest. Four clawmarks, deep and wide, were slashed across his chest. The pain was unbearable. It was unfathomable, overwhelming every thought, every emotion, leaving nothing but pain. Xerious gasped, tears streaming down his snout. There was nothing but mind-bending agony. Aleinix moved his arm, and watched as Xerious fell to the floor. Blood was pooling on the floor, and Xerious was gasping for breath. Everything seemed so far away. His vision was blurry, and everything sounded faint.

"Goodbye, Xerious."

He couldn't take it anymore. He just wanted escape for his pain. The awful, awful pain that pulsed through his mind. Slowly the world faded away, and Xerious closed his eyes. The last thing he heard before he left conscious was a faint _thud._ And then silence.


	8. Chapter 8

**Ugg... this one was a pain. And it's really short. But oh well, enjoy this! And remember, if you come across a grammatical error, please notify me! I'll get it fixed as soon as possible.**

 _At first, all he could feel was pain. Such a simple feeling, but one that bores into your very being. It was impossible to discover where the source was, it was everywhere. He couldn't see anything, and the only sound was the dull_ thump thump _of his weak heart. There was no sense of time, no perspective to anchor upon. Endless darkness, endless nothingness, the same sound being drilled into his head;_ thump, thump, thump, thump. _A small feeling, a slight nip somewhere, and then the pain was driven away. Pushed out of his being. Something was helping him, but the pain wouldn't leave without a fight. For the longest time he battled the forces, trying to drive out the evil with all his strength. For a moment he thought they were winning, he felt the pain losing grasp on him. He felt himself regaining control. And then a new force, stronger than the other rushed in, taking over, leaching his strength. He felt himself getting weaker. Colors started appearing, making no sense in neither shape nor depth, nor even appearance, for they flashed, twinkled, and disappeared seemingly at random. And then came shapes. And then voices, jumbled and incoherent.. And colors. And voices. And shapes. And feelings. And voices. And then they all collected into one image. And then in an instant, another. Time was shattered all together, only a fragment of what it was. Sometimes it was fast. Sometimes it was slow. Sometimes it was nonexistent. He thought he was going insane. He_ was _going insane. He could feel it. The thing, the force, the disease, the sickness, it was getting to him. He wanted out. He_ needed _out. Suddenly a voice, faint but clear. "Xerious… Xerious… Xerious… come to me… let me take you…" It sounded malicious, evil, and forceful. And then another voice, cutting through the other, and feeling cleaner. "Xerious, Xerious!" It was familiar… but by that point. he didn't care. He had to get out._ Let me go! _He screamed, trying to escape the voice._

Xerious woke up with a gasp, sitting upright, sweat streaming down his face. Instantly he regretted it, as a sharp pain burned into his stomach, like a red-hot poker. He groaned and laid back down. He took large, deep breaths, trying to calm down. Where was he? He turned his head, left, right, and then back up. He was in a building, a roof over his head, and walls to the side. He sighed.

"Xerious! You're awake! You're alive!" Skylight ran up to him, tears in her eyes, and hugged him around the neck, careful of his wounds. "I thought you were dead." She whispered. "I was so scared… I thought I would lose you…"

"Skylight… Wha… what happened?..." He croaked, looking into her green eyes.

"Do you remember how the confrontation went?" She asked softly. Xerious nodded, and she continued. "I was knocked out, and then I woke up on the floor with a massive headache. I looked over and saw you laying there, blood all around you. I was terrified. I woke Snake up and sent him to find an emergency doctor. You looked so lifeless, I thought you were already gone. I did the only thing I could, and tried my best to stop the bleeding long enough for them to arrive. You're blood was everywhere… on the floor, on you, on me…" She trembled as she remembered the horrific sight. "Once we got to the hospital they did everything they could. It was a miracle you were still alive, after losing so much... They stitched the wounds, and then wrapped them." Another shiver as the memory of the lacerations. "And then you developed a fever. They couldn't do anything about it, no matter how hard they tried. And the battle began. Looks like you won… congratulations…"

"Can I have some water?..." Xerious asked.

Skylight nodded. "Of course." She walked out of his vision, returning with a bowl of water. She gently tipped the contents into his mouth, and then set the bowl aside. "How are you feeling?"

"I have a headache, and my stomach still hurts, but I'm alive. Where's Snake?" Xerious asked, wondering where his friend was.

Skylight smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about him, he's just out shopping. He insisted he'd do it. Something about knowing what you liked." The smiled faded slightly. "You really got messed up. I'm glad you weren't hurt more."

Xerious looked away from her, unable to make eye contact. "When did they say I'd be healed?"

"The doctors think it'll be about a moon, maybe more. And you'll have those scars for the rest of your life. Don't you see, the only reason you're alive right now is luck! You should have _died_ back there, it's a miracle you're even awake! You lost a lot of blood, dealt with the pain, and then was infected from the wounds! The only good thing from this is that Aleinix thinks you're dead and he won't come after you." There was a pause, and then she continued. "I could have lost you. What if you didn't survive? What then? How could I have gone on? Without you?" A tear ran down her snout.

Xerious lifted his arm, slowly and carefully, and used his claw to wipe the tear away. He gathered his thoughts, looked at her, and said, "It doesn't matter, right? I'm alive. I'm here for you. Whatever happens, remember that I'm here for you. Always. Just remember that."

She nodded, then hugged him again. "It's… it's just all too much for me… I'm sorry"

"Don't be. If anything, I'm sorry. You were right." Xerious admitted. He sighed. "Maybe this was doomed to fail from the start. But at least we have each other, right?"

"Yes…" She let go of him, and then looked at him, up and down. "You've definitely changed since we've left. I can't tell what thought."

"Well it wasn't my awesomeness, because that's been the same throughout the journey. As in, still amazingly awesome." He grinned and Skylight stuck out her tongue. "What will you do while you wait heal up?" Xerious questioned.

"Wait for you to heal up."

"Huh?"

"I don't plan on doing anything. Just give me a scroll, and a place to sit, and I'll stay right here." Skylight declared.

Xerious stared at her. "You sure Sky?"

"Yep. Positive. I just need to find a scroll…"

The doctors had just come to check on him. They looked over the wounds and gave him something that Xerious could only describe as "Bad tasting purple stuff that causes most of the pain to go away." After they did that they left. The sun had already set and the moons were in the sky. Xerious looked back to the day before… it occurred to him that he didn't actually know how long he was unconscious.

"Hey Sky?"

"Yes?

"How long was I out for? After Aleinix got me?"

"About two and a half days. Why?"

"Curiosity. And explanations." _So that's why I felt so dry…_ He shook his head in disbelief. He turned back to face Skylight, and a sense of longing hit him. He wanted to be by her. She was so perfect to him, he wanted to be with her. He needed to tell her. _I can't deny it, can I?_ Xerious took a deep breath. "Skylight?"

She looked up from the scroll. "Yes Xerious?"

"I need to tell you something…" _Time for the confessions… surely she already knows? Ok, breath._

"What is it?"

Xerious tried to call down, unsuccessfully. "I know we're young and all, and I know this is an awkward subject, and I honestly don't know how you're going to feel…"

Skylight shook her head, smiling. At the same time, she seemed serious. "Come on Xerious, just spill the beans!"

"Ok, ok. Look... I have feelings for you. I…" He trailed off.

Skylight looked surprised, but not shocked. She didn't know what she was supposed to say. "As in… you have a crush on me?..."

Xerious sighed. "You… you can put it that way. I'm sorry, I don't actually know what I was thinking. I just… I needed to tell you, properly. And not like when we were on the mountain together. I needed to confess my feeling. About you." He winced inwardly as he heard how awkward and cheesy it was. There was a slight pause.

"Xerious... I can only say one thing… I feel the same way." Skylight look at him, and did her best smile. "As weird, and new, and… different as this is… I love you…" There was a short pause. "I know it's… complicated and… and we're young… but I'm serious about what I said."

"I love you to, Skylight. I agree… it is awkward and weird, but I'm confident that as long as we know our feelings, we can put all that aside, and we can set a straight path. I only have one question.

"What now?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for not updating this! So I made it up by updating three chapters at once! I had a ton of fun writing this! And I hope you have a ton of fun reading this! Happy New Years!**

A dragon walked down the dry streets of Possibility. He had two deep-blue eyes, Nightwing spikes running down his back, long wings with no definitive tribe type, and he was pure white. His long Rainwing-like tail swished over the warm, sandy cobbles. The dragon had four ragged scars, running from his right shoulder to the other side on the bottom of his chest. He had a look of slight discomfort on him, and seemed to wobble slightly. Despite all of that, he had a look of determination. He wouldn't let the world bring him down. He took a turn down a smaller street, littered with old, decaying houses. The poorer part of Possibility, necessary to go through to get to the better part. The houses all seemed to close on him, and the dragon let out a shiver. He continued down the road, and then stopped. Someone, no, more than just one, was here. "Hello? Who's there?!" The dragon called out, a spark of fear flashing. For the dragon knew he couldn't possibly overpower anyone in his state. Three Sandwings walked out of the shadows, two with knives, one with his bare claws. The empty-handed one grinned, as if he was enjoying himself. He casted an expert eye over the victim, taking note over everything.

"What do you want?" The pale dragon asked.

The one without anything, which could only be seen as the leader, walked up to him. The leader saw the the victim wasn't in condition to fight back, and quickly acted. He jumped to the side and hit the victim in the stomach with his tail. The dragon gasped in pain and doubled over. The leader had hit him exactly where it'd hurt the most; smack on the still-healing wounds. "Who are you? I need to know who I've killed, I hate to not be introduced. I'm Kilajhat."

The victim was breathing heavily, trying to ignore the pain that was burning through his veins. "I'm Xerious. And you better remember that." He spat out, then groaned softly as the action left him with more pain.

His words seemed to have an instant effect. Before a month ago, it would have meant nothing. But now it did. " _The_ Xerious? The one who challenged the leader of the Black Tail?"

Xerious groaned again, feeling his half-healed scars flaring in pain as he stood back up straight. "Yes, that same Xerious. Now if you bastards can move so I can get back to the hospital and not die on my way there, that'd be great."

Kilajhat motioned to the other two, and the both backed up. "My brother was killed by the Black Tail… I'm thankful of you for driving them out." He said, as Xerious looked at him oddly. "I do have a question I want to ask. Are you still looking for him?"

Xerious stared at him. "Are you crazy? I was almost killed by that lunatic! I have a girlfriend, and I don't want to endanger myself and her just to see someone who killed my father. I've grown out of that. Just out of curiosity though, why'd you ask?"

"Because I know where he is."

"Sky! I'm back!" Xerious shouted as he entered his room in the hospital. It was where he would stay until he was completely healed.

Skylight was sitting on the bed, reading a scroll. She lifted her head as she heard him walk through the door. "Xerious! You're back!" She said happily, putting the scroll down.

"Yep, I'm back. Scootch over, will yah?" He said. She shuffled over, giving room for him. Xerious hopped into the bed, laying next to her.

Skylight gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "So how was the walk, my dear?"

Xerious let out a short laugh. "My my, sounding like an adult already? We still have like two years."

Skylight smiled at him. "Better to practice now than be stuck when you _are_ one."

Xerious laughed again. "Fair enough."

It had been about a moon and a half since they confessed their love to each other, and it soon grew out of its young, awkward phase, and they quickly progressed with their relationship. Xerious just hoped it'd stay the way it was, or better. But he knew how quick a heart was to break. And how quick one's eyes were to shift.

"You still haven't answered my question, Xerious."

"Sorry. Well, it's been alright so far. Got ambushed by a bunch of penniless thugs, and almost broke my scars open again." Xerious said to Skylight, wondering what her reaction would be.

"What?! Are you ok? Does it hurt?" She fretted, worried.

"Nah, I'm fine." Xerious said, lying through his teeth. It still hurt. A lot actually. "Someone said they knew where Aleinix was." He stated.

Skylight looked at him, worry in her eye. "Did he tell you exactly where he was?"

"Nope. He didn't say, I didn't let him." Yet another lie that flew from his mouth. "Why'd you ask?"

"To make sure you you wouldn't think of going there. I'm not going to lose you again…"

"Speaking of losing people, where's-" Xerious was cut off by the door bursting open.

"Hhooww are you two lovey-dovey's going?" A teasing voice arrived to them. A muddy-sand colored hybrid walked into the room. A gold earing in his left ear. "Missed me much?"

"Snake! I was wondering where you went!" Xerious said to his best friend, joy lighting up her face.

"I was hungry! I went out to get some food!" Snake replied.

"Well while you went out to indulge yourself, I was getting my ass kicked by some lowlife street robbers, who might have actually killed me." Xerious replied.

"Hol' up. Let me sit down for this one. Now tell me this story of yours."

Xerious was laying down in bed, thinking. He had another chance at Aleinix. He knew where he was. But there was no way he could even try. Why? Why would he go after him when he was leading a successful life? He survived the last attack, and got another chance to make things right. His mother even forgave him, and invited him to come back to the forest once he was healed up. It was so easy to do the right thing. Just go home. Apologize to your friends for almost getting them killed, then fly home. It was as simple as that. But something said no. What was it? _What's stopping me from just leaving this as it is?_ He growled softly to himself, and closed his eyes. _Whatever, I'll think about it later. I'm going to bed now._ He thought, then slowly fell asleep.

 _A flashing light, a glinting dagger, the world spun around. Suddenly his father was in front of him. He had blood running down his chest, and a loving smile on his face. Then darkness rushed over Bluebird, and he vanished. And then an unknown Icewing, fierce with determination appeared. And then vanished. And then a Sandwing, and then a Nightwing, and another Sandwing, and a Rainwing, and a Skywing, and then it was a blur of dragons he never saw, all with various wounds. Then it slowed down. Then stopped. And he was looking at himself. As if staring into a still puddle. His mirror image smiled sadly at himself, as if knowing what was to happen. And then his mirror image disappeared in a swirling smoke. Darkness. Then from the darkness, two eyes appeared. One was yellow, one was brown, and they both dug into his mind, malice in them. The darkness lessened, but was still difficult to see. The pair of eyes belonged to the hazy outline of a dragon, swirling tendrils of black escaping it._ Who are you?! _Xerious asked, but no sound escaped him. It didn't matter, the dragon understood anyways. He laughed, a hollow sound, and answered._ Th **e** **q** ue **stio** n is… who are y **ou?** _The words were twisted and echoed around him, like a haunting memory_. I'm Xerious! You know that, don't you? You're the one who killed my father! _He tried to shout, but again, no words came from his mouth._ You do know… ho **w cle** ver. But my q **ue** **sti** on still stands, **un** answered. _The shadow crept forward, closer to him_. **Who** _are_ you? You **c** all yours **e** lf Xerious… yet you don't kno **w wh** o you **r** eally are. But **I** do. It's so obv **iou** s. _Xerious took a step back._ Then who am I? _He challenged the dark one._ Isn't it simple? You're the s **triki** ng im **a** ge of Bl **ue** bird. _Xerious sighed._ Of course I look like him, you idiot. I'm his son. It'd be bad if I didn't look like him. _The shadow grinned, showing a smile from what could have been his face._ B **u** t you share more than lo **oks** , and you **know** it. The th **i** **ng** you're forgett **ing** , is t **h** e mental side of you. In that, you're almost the perfect refle **ction** of your father. You always try _so_ har **d t** o keep your san **ity, y** et just like your father, you'll lo **se** in the end. In **fac** t, can't you feel it escaping you now? Soon you'll be **just like** me; a mon **ster wi** th no soul. Why don't yo **u prove** it? Try to kill me. You kn **ow y** ou want to. _Xerious growled and bared his teeth in defiance._ I won't do it. I'm better than you. _The shadow laughed and shook his head._ Y **ou do** n't understand. You **'v** e already lost. And wh **en** you wake up, you'll come straight **to** **m** e. Maybe there **yo** u can redeem yourself. **O** r maybe no **t. All t** hat matters **…** is that **I** won, and **you** lost. You know it. It's **too late** … _The shadow slowly faded out of existence._ It's too la **t** e… too late… too late **…** _His voice was slow to leave, echoing through Xerious's head. He sighed, and then looked down. And then he noticed something. His talons were black. He stared at them. And the black spreaded, like pouring water on paper. He stared in shock as his paws followed. And it crept up his legs. His vision was also getting affected. Blackness was around the edge of his sight. And it started covering everything else. He didn't know what to do, an he let out a wail of fear. The last thing he saw was a faint image of him, still white, and then the black covered his vision entirely. Silence. Nothing. Suddenly his vision flashed blood red, and then his mirror image appeared again. Blood ran down his image's throat, from where a cut was slashed across, and his class were oozing in it. His mouth was opened in a bloodthirsty snarl, his head cocked at an angle. And his eyes were pure black. There was not an ounce of light, and there was not a hint of emotion. Then it all disappeared instantly, leaving it just a burning memory._

Xerious's eyes snapped open, and he stood up, gasping. He looked around with fear, then sighed as he knew it was just a dream. He looked down onto his claws, and then closed his eyes. _He's right. There's only one way I can be satisfied. And that's if I_ kill _him. I need to. There's no other way. I'm going to find him, and this time I will succeed, whether by luck or by ability._ He opened his eyes and looked out the window. It was early morning. _Today, either he will die, or I will._ That brief moment of closing his eyes, that small lapse, confirmed everything he saw. For he saw the light of his soul as he did. And he saw the darkness creeping over it, infecting it with pure hatred and suffering. The darkness was taking him.


	10. Chapter 10

The sun was shining through the window, it's golden rays beaming down onto the floor. Inside the room in which the window was located, a dragon ran about, grabbing things and placing things away. A Nightwing was in a bed in the room. The room itself was simplistic, with a nightstand, a single bed that was on the floor, more of a pallet then a bed, and two paintings on the wall, one of a house and one of a forest. The dragon had everything he needed, in a pouch that was still off him. He walked to the door, and then stopped. He turned around, and looked at the Nightwing in the bed. He sighed, before putting his stuff down. He then grabbed a piece of parchment and a pen. He took the pen, placed it onto the paper, and let his hand flow, spelling out the words.

 _Dear Skylight,_

 _Look… I know you don't want me to leave, and I know you are worried for me. I understand that, I love you, and I wouldn't want to lose you either. Especially after nearly losing me so soon. But I have too. Can't you see? It's consuming my every waking thought. I can't deal with it anymore. I'm going insane. Maybe I already have. That doesn't matter to me. It doesn't change anything. Aleinix is going down. He's murdered countless, and now it's time for that to change. He's going to die for the pain he has caused me. My father. Snowstorm. Me. You. Snake. The many others. He deserves it, you see? Don't you notice it now? That murderous… animal has to die. It's the only way. I'm going by myself, I couldn't live with myself if I got you killed. If you want to find me though, as I stand over his dead body, and wipe his blood off my talons, I'm at:_

 _E.271.8 N.346.2_

 _Goodbye, I love you, and I'll be back soon._

 _~ Xerious_

Xerious put down the pen, grabbed his stuff again, and left. He didn't even look back. He was oddly calm, not even shifting his vision. He exited the building, and looked over the crowded streets. It was early morning, and the work rush was just setting in. Dragons from various tribes went to various areas, and started setting up shops and flipping their signs to "Open." Xerious ignored all of that, and unfolded his wings. He took the pouch and slung it over his shoulder, a dexterous feat that wasn't easy by yourself. He then crouched down, and sprung into the air, before hovering over the streets. Unzipping his pouch, he brought out a map and a compass, which had a coordinate calculator. He looked down on the two, and then back up, twisting to the side, before looking back down upon it. He smiled slightly, then it faded and he started flying. Every now and then, he'd look at his map, then continue on his way, reassured. The desert was blowing underneath him, creating waves of sand that flew over the surface, giving it a rippling appearance. But as he flew on throughout the day, dirt replaced the sand, slowly at first, increasing exponentially. Soon he was back over forest ground, trees whisking underneath him. The air was warm, the sky clear. It was a beautiful day. Xerious didn't even stop to think about that. His mind was on one goal only. Revenge. He looked at the coordinates, then looked up just in time for a robin to run into him. The bird squawked in protest, and gathered it's wits, trying to fly away. Xerious let out a quick burst of fire, which seared blindingly-white through the air. It missed the bird. Barely. The thing managed to escape with just a few singed feathers. Xerious growled to himself in annoyance, angry at missing a mere bird. _It's not important… you have someone bigger to roast. Much bigger_. The latest failure was mildly discouraging, and caused him to wonder how he would take on Xerious. The sun was starting it's descent, late afternoon, by the time Xerious was flying over mountains. The mountains were, in fact, exactly where he was supposed to be. He looked back down onto his compass. 236.9 East by 340.1 North. He needed to go more East. Xerious readjusted his direction. He felt a slight twinge of excitement, but then tried to suppress it. Then he thought back to Skylight. He felt bad for leaving her, especially without a proper goodbye. But he knew she'd try to stop him, and he couldn't bring himself to say it to her. _It's not like she understands anyways._ The dark side of him said, and he smothered the thought. _The note was enough. That's all she needs to see._ He growled, again, to himself. There was no one around for miles. At least, that's what most would think when they see the vast mountain range. Xerious looked down for the thirteenth time that day. 271.5 East, and 345.8 North. Only decimals off. In fact, he could see exactly where he was supposed to be. There, on the mountains, was a crevasse, an abyss so deep, the bottom was lost in the inky-blackness of the gorge. The crevasse stretched through the mountains, like an unsightly scar. Along the side was a semi-flat surface, with a fortress-like building that seemed abandoned a long time ago. The bricks were layered in moss, and some had fallen out of the wall. The building had a massive doorway, with the door off the hinges, rotting to the side. Xerious landed in front of the building, the rift in the ground to the right of him. Small amounts of vegetation grew in between the cracks of the rocky ground. Shadows of the mountains were casted over him, blocking the natural light. _Where is he?... Is this where he's staying? If so… then where is he hiding?..._ A scraping of the claws echoed from the entrance of the fortress, and Xerious instant jumped around, turning his body to face the doorway. He looked into the building. "Who's there?! Reveal yourself!"

"You know who's here. You're waiting for me because you know who it is." A single yellow eye snapped open in the dark of the building, hatred and disgust in his eye. "Looking for me?" Out of the shadows stepped Aleinix, his dark-yellow eye shining out of his skull, and his brown one burning with pure hate. The assassin stood there, exposing his entire being into the light for the first time. He has long, curling talons, sharper than Icewings, and his wings were longer and thicker than any tribe. His body was wider, and more muscular. His tail, shorter and stronger. And he was a dull brown, with his stomach and the front of his neck a lighter color. He had two straight horns on his head, and a line of them down his back, ending at the tip of his tail. He grinned, showing off his ivory-white teeth that could bite through flesh and bone without a problem.

Xerious gathered himself, and snarled. "I'm back, you murderer." He growled through his teeth. "And this time, I'll win."

Aleinix looked at him, then burst out laughing, one that was filled with dark humor. He stopped and looked at him. "You serious?" He asked.

Xerious seemed a bit taken back. "Why aren't you attacking me? You killed my father in a second, why are you just standing there?"

"Because..." He circled around Xerious, smiling with malevolence. "then it wouldn't be fun."

"Fight me! Attack me! I'm ready for you! Give me all you've got!" Xerious yelled at Aleinix, tensing up.

"See, this is why I'm not fighting you. You're hilarious." He stopped circling. "To be honest, I'm impressed you're alive. I really thought I killed you. If I was a lesser assassin, I'd let you live just because of how impressive that is. Of course, I'm Aleinix, one of the best killers alive. It took me seventeen years of non-stop training to get to where I am. In fact, I was taught in that very building." He looked at the rundown ruins, and for a split second, he showed a hint of emotion. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

Xerious bared his teeth. "I don't give a damn about your backstory!! I didn't come here to learn about your oh so tragic history. I came here to kill you. For my father."

Aleinix turned around to face him. "No, not for your father. For you. You're doing this for you. The darkness is enveloping you, for why else would you be here? You're going insane, and you know it."

Xerious recoiled in shock. Aleinix struck him where it hurt the most; his fears. He quickly regained his composure, and then lost it again. " **YOU BASTARD!! DIE!!!** " He roared, and lifted his head, before blasting a line of fire so hot, it was almost like a liquid. All those years, all those names, all those fears, those pent up frustrations, came blazing out of his mouth faster, and fiercer than ever before. Aleinix was so surprised, so shocked at the sudden attack, all he could do was lift a wing to try and block the blazing bolt of flames. The fire slammed into his wing, and burned around it. Aleinix growled, trying to not cry out in pain. The smoke cleared, and revealed his wing, blackened in the center, with wisps of vapor rising off it. Xerious didn't waste a second. As Aleinix was trying to recover, Xerious ran towards him, rearing back, and dug his claws into Aleinix's still burning wing, digging through the muscle and flesh, ripping his wings down to the bone. Blood poured from the wound, soaking Xerious's claws in the liquid. Aleinix let out a small sound, something between a snarl and a yelp of pain.

Xerious grinned. "How does it feel now, huh? You're losing, and you haven't even landed a strike."

Aleinix looked up at him, then smiled. "You're wrong. You've already lost. Don't you feel the gash upon your throat?"

It was almost surreal. Xerious stopped instantly, a look of shock on his face. He lifted his talons, and touched his neck. Warm blood covered his claws, his own. He brought it down, looking at it with disbelief. He thought back to the contact with Aleinix. As he was digging his claws into Aleinix, he felt his wing clip his throat. He didn't think of it at the time, but now it made sense. Xerious snarled, pure, primal rage on his face. His head was cocked, and he bared his teeth at Aleinix. There was no emotion, just the rage at being hurt. It didn't actually hurt, but it struck him that he was attacked. He ought to have been dead, but he was lucky. It didn't go deep enough. He jumped at Aleinix, claws outstretched. But he was ready for him. Aleinix dodged to the side, and dug his claws into Xerious's wings. His razor sharp talons tore through Xerious's wings like a thin sheet of paper. Xerious cried out as he ripped through it, causing gaps in the membrane. Xerious turned around, a grimace of pain etched on his face. And then Aleinix was on his other side, slashing his wings, tearing gashes into him. As Xerious roared in pain, Aleinix slammed into him, rolling him over. Aleinix was on top, claws outstretched, ready to dish out torture unimaginable. "You've caused me too much pain, time to die!" He shouted, eyes gleaming with joy. He brought his claws down. Xerious closed his eyes. He smiled. Suddenly the weight on top of him disappeared. A loud thud sounded from the left of him. Xerious opened his eyes, Snake had come in at full speed, crashing into Aleinix's weak side, the one that had been roasted. Xerious knew this, of course, he saw them long before Aleinix did. Even while about to be killed, his sight proved to be useful. He rolled back upright, wincing from the streaks pain in his wings. Blood dripped down and splattered onto the floor. Aleinix and Snake were battling, Snake on top with his claws swiping towards him. Aleinix blocked it with his arm, taking the beating.

Skylight landed behind him. "Xerious!! You're ok! Well, you're alive!" She cried out in relief. "I was worried we were too late."

"Yeah… Don't worry. I lived."

"Good." She punched him in the shoulder. "That's for leaving me that note. That was a pretty horrible move."

Xerious took the hit, and sighed. "I'm sorry, I just needed to do this. I couldn't bring myself to talk to you."

"Xerious!!" The yelled echoed through the valley. Snake got surprised by a tail the side, and was now up against the rock-face.

Xerious turned around and started running towards him. "Snake!" He shouted. Aleinix looked at Xerious, then rammed his head straight into Snake's stomach. Snake gasped, the crack of ribs echoing through the air.

"SNAKE!!!" Xerious jumped to the side, and shot another white-hot jet. It striked Aleinix in the burned side. The fire instantly burned through his already-dead wing, and struck him on the underside. For the first time Xerious noticed something; Aleinix's neck and underside were covered in metal scales, giving him extra protection. Against any dragon, the scales would have blocked the fire. But Xerious's flames seemed to hit almost no resistance. His fire instantly melted the scales, and scored a direct hit on his stomach. Tendrils of smoke snaked off the area. The smell of burning flesh dominated the air, causing Xerious to gag. Aleinix howled in pain, clutching his side. Snake slipped down the rocky wall, groaning. Aleinix looked at Xerious, with the face of someone who would want the other to die, again and again. Death after death. He stood straight, a look of pure evil on him as he slowly stepped forward, walking towards Xerious. Skylight ran after him, growling.

"Sky! Noo!!"

The warning was too late. Aleinix spun around, and slammed his thick tail into her skull, his signature move for knocking out opponents. Skylight's head was thrown to the side, and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

"YOU MONSTER!!" Xerious roared in rage, backing up a step.

"You tried to kill me first. You're the one who came out here. You could have just stayed at home. You even had a second chance. All I wanted was your father, but I guess you had to complicate the matters. So looks like I'll have to kill you again. And this time, you won't survive." Xerious stepped back, and stumbled, for his paw went down into open space. He had reached the edge of the chasm. Aleinix laughed, a look of insanity in his eyes. "Looks like you are at the end of your rope. I wonder what's down there…" He was right in front of Xerious, just barely far enough away that Xerious couldn't reach him. Xerious was gathering his strength, and was about to strike when Aleinix surprised him. With brute force, Aleinix lifted him up, pushing with his head till Xerious was on his hind legs. He quickly switched position so that he could use his front legs instead. Xerious tried to swipe, tried to push forward, but he knew he was no match for a dragon as big as him. He gave one last struggle, pure fear in his eyes, knowing what was about to happen. Aleinix laughed, crazed with power.

"Please… you don't have to do this…" Xerious whispered.

"I do. Goodbye Xerious, Son of Bluebird." With a snarl, he pushed Xerious over the edge. The last thing he saw was the terrified face of Skylight, just woken up, and then she was gone. They all were.

Aleinix had pushed him so that he was falling facing up. The light was slowing fading as he fell further down the abyss. He unfurled his wings, trying to stop his descent and to right himself. It only slowed him slightly. The wind rushed through his shredded wings, causing immense pain. He reached up, as if some imaginary hand would take him, and stop his fall. There was no one to help.

He was only falling for about ten seconds, then _ca-crunch_! Blood flew everywhere, splattering over his chest. Sudden pain, so great it destroyed all idea of thought. Mind-bending, soul-shredding pain. Pure agony erupted from his chest. He gasped in pain, tears welling in his eyes. He tried to breath, but no air seemed to enter. Only more torment. He coughed, blood spraying out. With all his strength he lifted his head and looked down to his underbelly. A single stalagmite was embedded in his stomach. Blood covered it, dripping down the spike. He could see some of his organs on the stone point, ripping it out of his body. His wound stretched across his underbelly, blood pouring all over his chest, his life force running out of him. He felt lightheaded, detached, tired, as if he wasn't part of the world anymore. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back. His soul was dull, and was dimming with each second. _Father… Snake… Skylight, my love… I've failed you…_ The light inside him was only a spark now, nothing to power it. Xerious let out a sigh, and then the spark was gone.

 _Gone._


	11. Epilogue and Author Notes

A lone Nightwing was walking across the rocky floor of a crevasse. Her green eyes burned in anger and grief. But also slight hope. A flashback. The tall dragon lifting up another. Opening her eyes, seeing her lover look at her with sadness, knowing he was gone. And then as she watched, trying to push herself up, he fell over the edge. As the memory faded, a single tear trickled down her snout. There was still a chance. He might have survived, it wasn't entirely unheard of. Maybe he found a way to slow himself down. There was only a faint light, coming from the very top of the crack. It didn't matter to her, for a Nightwing is made for the dark. She looked up, and then did some mental calculations. She was close. So close to where he pushed him over. Aleinix. May he rot in hell. The Nightwing thought venomously. She thought back to earlier that same day.

 _A pure, colorless white hybrid with blue eyes was lifted upright, by a dragon of an unknown tribe. The dragon laughed while the hybrid begged for his life, knowing that he was already dead. The hybrid gave one last struggle, then gave up, defeated. The dragon whispered something to the hybrid, and then pushed him over the edge. A Nightwing, just woken up after being unconscious, let out a helpless wail as she saw her loved one fall. The dragon turned over to her direction, and grinned. The Nightwing was too shocked to move, she couldn't believe her eyes. The dragon advanced upon her, letting out a crazed laughter. The Nightwing backed up, unable to do any more. The dragon was quicker, and was right in front of her. The Nightwing stared at him, tears in her eyes. The dragon grinned, and raised his claws, joy in his eyes. "I didn't want to kill you, but you made me. So goodbye, have fun meeting your boyfriend in the afterlife." The dragon said. Before he could bring down his claws, he saw in the corner of his eyes a spinning, flashing object. Something hit him with a thump, and he reeled back, pain in the dragon's eyes. The dragon fell back, clutching his chest. A single dagger protruded from his chest, in an already burned area. The dragon looked towards the source, and saw another hybrid, half Sandwing half Mudwing, leaning against the rock-wall and holding his own chest._ _The hybrid grimaced, and slid back down to the ground. "It's a good thing I spent all that time in Possibility when I was younger. I guess some skills never leave you." The dragon looked at the hybrid, fear showing. The first time it showed in his life. "You feel that? The coldness sweeping through your veins? The numbness of your talons? The dull thumping sound in your head? The thumping that will slow down, and then stop as your heart gives in to the blade. I hit you in your vitals. In fact, you're already dead." The hybrid said, watching his words take effect. The dragon tried to get up, then fell. Blood escaped the wound, covering the silver dagger with a dark-red liquid. He closed his eyes, and then was gone._ _"Snake!" The Nightwing cried. "You... saved me…"_ _"Don't worry about me, it's just a couple of broken ribs… find out about Xerious." He said, wincing._ _The Nightwing nodded, and took off, trying to find a place to enter the ravine without hurting herself. She hovered in the air for a second, then dived down._

The Nightwing sighed, wondering if he was down here at all. Maybe he just walked off… She thought hopefully. She turned the corner, and stopped. A dragon, white as a blank screen, was in front of her. He had a stalagmite through his stomach, blood covering everything. His chest, the stalagmite, his claws, his mouth, and the ground. His guts were impaled on the deadly rock, pulling them out of his chest. His eyes were closed, and he had a look of sadness on him. There was nothing left of him, just the shell of his body. The light was gone, and once the creeping darkness of death takes over, no amount of sparks will remake the lost light. The Nightwing collapsed onto her knees and let out a wail of grief. She let the tears flow, and cried out her feelings. He was gone. Gone. Forever.

The cry of a loved one,  
The pain of a loved one,  
They cannot be ignored.

And where the loved one shall go,  
I shall go too.

The torment of a loved one,  
The grief of a loved one,  
They cannot be ignored.

And when the loved one shall grieve,  
I shall grieve too.

The revenge of a loved one,  
The battle of a loved one,  
They cannot be ignored.

And when the loved one dies,  
I only wish I could too.

A single Nightwing, perfectly fitting the description from the story, put down her pen. Her eyes stopped glowing, and she sighed. She got up and rolled the scroll closed. The only difference between her now and the Nightwing in the story was age. The Nightwing was an adult, looking into the past. "Sometimes this ability is useful… but sometimes the past is more painful than you remember." The Nightwing said to herself. She put the scroll away in a case, then put that on a shelf of others. She turned around to look at a dragon in a bed, with two dragonets on each side of him. "I hope you understand why I've done this, Xerious." She whispered. "I had to get past my grief, I had to do it for me. And Snake. He was so shocked, you should be happy that he's been able to continue with life. He isn't the same though. He just seems more down. And me… I did what I had to do. And I'm living a happy life with a family of my own. I would be happier with you, but I know you're not coming back. I did what I had too, my love."

"Please forgive me…"

 **-End-**

 **Author's Notes**

First off, I want to thank everyone who's supported this, thank you all!

Second, I want to give a massive thanks to a friend of mine known as Woof86 for supporting me 100% of the way, and encouraging me to continue despite me feeling discouraged and alone. Reviewing every chapter with me, giving me advice, telling me what she thought, even making art for me without a second thought, she's really been an amazing pal, and I wouldn't be here without you.

Third, I want to go over my inspiration for this story. I actually have some inspiration for my character names. While Snake and Skylight were almost copies of my original characters I use for roleplaying, Xerious and Aleinix have some sort of inspiration. Xerious was made because I felt there weren't enough people with "x" in the beginning of their names, and my uncreative self just took out the "s" in "serious" and replaced it with "x" to make Xerious (pronounced X-air-ious). Aleinix is from a friend I have in real life, who's called Phoenix. And boom, scary assassin Aleinix (pronounced A-lean-ex). As for the end scene, that came from many places. One was the scene in The Last of Us, where Joel gets pushed off the second story of a mall, and is impaled by a metal… thingie… I'm no construction worker, I don't know its name. And the other main one came from Rhynobullraq's story, Eranomous' Story (which legitimately made me cry). And I'm sure there's many others as well.

And finally, I want to share the thing that started this entire journey. I sat down one day and wrote this short scene because I was bored. But then I felt so bad for not having an actual story that I wrote one. And I'm glad I did. You'll see I retained some aspects from the original scene and used it in the new one, like the setting. And there's much I've changed. But anyways, let me show that to you. If you don't want to read a 900 word story that really means nothing, just skip it.

Standing on the edge of a ravine, stood Xerious. In front of him sat Snake. Beside Snake was Skylight. After the temple battle, they gathered outside on an ancient overhang. It wasn't the safest of ideas, but it was better then inside the actual building. "You guys did well. I'm glad we met, even if by accident." He said with a smile.

"Hey bro, if I didn't meet you, then who would I tease or yell at?" Snake replied, grinning.

"Well, we survived, didn't we?"

"Snake…" Skylight said hesitantly, as if unsure of something.

"Yes, Sky? What do you need?"

"Who… w-who is that?" She pointed to a gigantic shadowy shape flying towards them. It was definitely dragon.

"I… I don't know… it certainly doesn't look friendly."

The dragon landed with a thud as the others were preparing themselves for it. Wearing a black cape with a hood, being a Nightwing helped him, for it was a him, blend into the shadows. Metal claws, metal reinforced tail, and eyes that burned into your soul, the entire being radiated death and hatred. Oh three moons… who is this?... Xerious questioned as his entire body shook with fear. "Well… look what we have here. I see nothing but a bunch of pathetic excuses for dragons, and you're supposed to be special? Ha! I'm so glad that I finally get to end your misery." He spoke with a rough voice, while he looked around with what seemed to be glee.

"Who the hell are you?" Snake growled.

"Oh, didn't I tell you? Whoops, my bad. I'm Aleinix. Hired by that moron you tried to kill, I'm the best assassin there is. No one has ever escaped. No one ever broke free of death's sweet embrace. I hope you have prepared yourself well. This will indeed be interesting." He giggled.

"Well what do you want? To kill us? We won't go down without a fight." Challenged Xerious with a growl.

Aleinix bursted out laughing. "Haha! You?! Let's see... Well, you're just a dragonet who has no fighting skills whatsoever, 'friends' who are just a hindrance, and no weapon at all. Meanwhile, you are facing a highly trained, highly dangerous assassin who's about four times as big and strong as you who can practically throw you like a stone. Like that would be much of a fight. You're just a nuisance. A runt. An ant waiting to be squashed. A mongrel. A mutt. And a tribe outcast."

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with being a hybrid! Just because you're from two tribes doesn't mean you're bad!" Replied Snake hotly.

"Riiiight. No. It does. You know it. If your queen knew, you'd be executed. But don't worry about that." He said, waving his paw dismissively. "You're not going to see that day. Ever. Because of one simple reason. One reason that can be said in three words. You'll be dead."

He lunged forward and stabbed Skylight in the chest from a dagger he pulled from his cloak. As Skylight screamed in pain, Snake whipped out his own weapon and charged at Aleinix. Summoning the fire within, Xerious shot out blinding flames, hotter than ever. Calmly, the assassin lifted up his wing, and the fire was deflected without effort. Oh god…

"That's funny. But," He pushed Snake out of the way with his tail, then whipped him in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him. He turned around and started walking towards Xerious, grinning. "you're on the wrong side of this. Some might say… oops, you're on the edge of disaster. Haha, silly me." He was right in front of Xerious. Using his metal reinforced tail, Aleinix wrapped it around his neck, squeezing the breath out of Xerious. C-can't breath… "H-help" Xerious gasped.

"Oh, you won't be helped anytime soon. I'm rather tired of this, so let's just send you over and see what happens. I hope you're like feline, or else this could be painful." Aleinix laughed, enjoying himself. He grabbed Xerious by the shoulders, and pushed him to the edge of the ravine. Xerious was a claw away from emptiness. "Say bye bye, Son of Croder!" With a grunt, Aleinix shoved Xerious over. For a split second, Xerious was on his hind legs, before tumbling down on his back, wings outstretched slightly, looking up on Aleinix who was peering over with a smile. Wind whistling through his ears, blackness creeping over him, he tried to pull out his wings all the way. But the wind was pushing them back in. _Not enough... I'm going too fast... TOO FAST_. With one final grunt, he pulled them out. But it was too late. _Kakrunch_! Suddenly pain. Unfathomable pain. Blood splattering everywhere, staining his glistening white scales. He gasped, tears leaking from his eyes. Then he passed out.

Xerious opened his eyes. A dim light from above shone down. He tried to get up, but was greeted with mindbending pain. He looked down and saw a stalagmite embedded through his bloody torso. His organs, his blood, his life force clinging to the cold piece of rock. _So this is how it ends… I never expected it this way… I… I hope I am not forgotten… goodbye… everyone… I shall see you soon… He closed his eyes and smiled, as an icy cold crept over him. This really is... the end…_

Sooo bad... I'm cringing. I've improved a lot.

The reason I made it a tragedy is because I thought there wasn't enough stories that ended in the main character looking. So there you go, sad story that's graphically horrifying.

Finally, for anyone who's read this far, you might be an actual fan and want to know what I'll do next. Or you just like reading random stuff. Anyways, I definitely know what I'm doing, and I'll give you a teasing hint as to what'll be about. It involves a dragon pulled away from his wife to fight in a war. But in an alternative reality.

Anyways, that's all I have to say. Have a good day! And I'll be seeing you all soon!


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